Throwing Stones

My heart is troubled this week. Our church as a whole seems to be going through so much turmoil. Apparently, one of our pastors had an inappropriate relationship with one of the church volunteers. So, why am I choosing to blog this dirty laundry today? Well, this isn't the only thing going on in our church. It seems there are lots of us trying to fill voids in our lives with other sources. Food, other people, gossip, controlling others, and a multitude of other things.

I can see God purging my church today. I praise Him for wanting to make us a Holy people and for the cleansing He seems to be doing in my church. I love my church. I know He wants to grow my church and do a new thing in the church and in the people so that HE will be glorified.

The thing that has taken me by complete surprise is the self-righteous attitude that seems prevalent in the lives of many people in the church. I remember very well being in similar shoes myself a few years ago. When I was still very young and before I had ample time to sufficiently sin. At least this is what I told myself. My sins were the more socially acceptable ones and I thought I was better than most. I hadn't murdered, fornicated, intoxicated, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Well, you get the picture.

I can see that many in my church feel that way today. However, I think they fail to realize that the only thing that keeps them from being just like our recently fallen pastor; the only thing that keeps them from being like me; the only thing that keeps them from being like Jeffrey Dahmer for that matter is God's grace in their lives. If God were to remove His grace from you, you would be no better and no worse than the worse person on the planet.

The sad thing is that I believe God sometimes removes His protection from our life for a period to allow us to fall flat on our face. Why? Because we become too self-righteous pointing our finger at all the muddy people walking around not realizing that we, ourselves, are covered in the same mud. Our mud may be of different texture and color, but it is the same mud nonetheless. At least, in God's eyes, mud is mud. So, before you go on the attack about someone Else's particular sin, perhaps it is a better time for you to examine your own heart?

It seems to me that usually the ones doing the finger pointing (sometimes in the name of trying to help or cleansing the church or whatever) are the ones struggling with greater sins themselves. Are you gossiping? When was the last time you struggled with gluttony? Are you jealous of others? What preoccupies your thought life? Do you withhold mercy? All sin is the same in God's eyes. I realize this very much. However, I also realize that some sin, like gossip for example, destroys a church like wild fire. Yet, this one is so acceptable. No one would ever be asked to step down from leadership for this one and yet it can be worse in what it does to a church as a whole in my opinion. Why am I "saying" these things? Because as I stood at guest services on Sunday and overheard people's conversations, I was overwhelmed with the lack of grace and mercy people have towards one another. Yes, our pastor caught in sin is covered in mud. I am covered in mud. Have you looked in a mirror recently? My guess is that you are probably covered in it as well. I know this because the bible says we are all covered in the same mud. The minute you decided to start looking at MY MUD instead of seeing me the way God sees me it only makes your mud all the more obvious.

Am I choosing to see your mud then? Am I walking around with my Holy highlighter pointing out all the muddy people in the midst? No, I am choosing to step outside the box and write this today because I don't want God to remove his protection from your life. I hope that you will be reminded of all that YOU have been forgiven. I hope that you will remember that He alone is judge and jury.

Remember that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. Your forced attempt at revealing someone's sin will not lead them to repentance. It will only make them feel attacked. Only the Holy Spirit can bring about Godly sorrow over our sin. May I suggest that you get on your knees and pray. This is the best attack you can do. Its a spiritual attack. The person that is living in habitual sin, or just occasional struggle, or in their past, or whatever wrong you perceive they are doing isn't your enemy. Attack the real enemy and the only way to attack that enemy is through prayer. Praise God that YOU aren't as "bad" as they, but if you want to see real change in the lives of your friends you won't see it by constant confrontation, threats, gossiping about them, or finger pointing. However, you will see it by praying for them. What is your goal, friend? Is it to see change in that person's life or is it to pat yourself on your back for being better than them? Ask God to show yourself your true motive.

II Peter 3:9 tells us that God is long-suffering towards us. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God's goodness leads us to repentance and in I John 4 somewhere it tells us that we love God because He FIRST loved us. Are you following this example when you deal with others? Whom does the bible say is the accuser? Whose example are you choosing to follow today? Are you choosing to throw stones?

Dear Father, I thank you for saving me from so much. I am covered in thick, black, mud. I acknowledge that I am no better than anyone else and am the worst of sinners. You have forgiven me much and I pray that if I ever look at anyone else thinking I am better than they that you will be quick to remind me of all that I have been forgiven. I realize that the only thing that keeps me from dripping black, tarish mud all over the place is the blood of Jesus Christ that has covered, redeemed, transformed, and removed that mud by your precious grace. May my brothers and sister come to understand that we are all the same. We are at different places in our walk with you and none of us can force growth in another. It is the job of the Holy Spirit alone to convict and we pray for the sweet conviction of the Holy Spirit to produce Godly sorrow in our lives. Holy Spirit come... come and redeem our lives.. redeem my church... restore my church... use our lives for more than what they are Father for your glory. Do a new thing in us for your glory. I pray Father that everyone would drop their stones. Amen.