As we walk through the season of Lent it's good for us to pause and think
about how we as Christians view the rest of the world. For example the way
we feel about being around unbelievers will tell us a lot about our concept
of God and we stand before him.  Jesus put it this way, " Do not judge or
you to will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be
judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew
7:1-2)

In other words, you get what you give out.  You want a loving God?  Then be
loving.  You want a merciful God" Then be merciful.  Want God to forgive
you?  Then forgive your neighbor.  Want God to condemn you?  Then be and
accusatory person.  Want to put yourself above the rest of the world? Then
get ready for a God who is going to strain out every judgmental through
you've ever had and measure all the thoughts and intents of your hidden
heart by the same standard.

That's enough to send me my knees, because I know my heart is far from what
it should be.  You and I as Christians need to realize that however
acceptable our lives may be for the general public, we still possess an
R-rated heart, and we're as good as dead if we want God to meet us on any
ground other than his grace and forgiveness.

The joy of this truth is that once I can believe and accept forgiveness for
myself, then I can believe it for anybody.  I have new eyes to see beyond my
neighbors' sin and love them with the love of Christ.

When we search the Scriptures, we never find a place where Jesus was
offended by a sinful person.  But there are repeated accounts of his being
offended by the self-righteousness of so-call holy people who set themselves
apart from the rest of humanity in their won eyes.  For these people, he
didn't even have the time of day, except to warn them of the judgment to
come, a judgment brought about by their refusal to see themselves as needy
as the next guy.

Shalom,

Pastor Mike