J
Proving to others what is Righteous or really Being Righteous?
Have you ever noticed how "Christians", when speaking to other Christians, or non-Christians, have such a love and passion for spreading the WORD that we often get into the mind set of "I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG?" Or we get into a frustrated mentality "WHY CAN'T THEY UNDERSTAND? ARE THEY JUST PLAIN DUMB?"
This frustration can lead into anger and then instead of merely thinking evil of our brothers and sisters, we verbalize it!
JAM 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue,
but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
JAM 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
JAM 3:6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among
our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of
nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
JAM 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things
in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
JAM 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.
What is the cause?
Lately, two of the biggest issues I have been facing in my walk with the Lord are PRIDE and SELFISHNESS.
PRIDE:
"I KNOW I'M RIGHT! I have studied this for 20 years and you haven't done your homework, you don't know what you're talking about!"
"Who are you to lecture me on this topic? What would you know about anything?"
"You're just a know it all hypocrite spreading ignorance and lies."
Yes, I've thought these things and worse...even verbalized them to and AT people. I find when I remember those past sins I get to eat yet another slice of humble pie. In fact, I just happen to own a bakery that specializes in humble pie.
(A little humor can be a good thing!)
SELFISHNESS:
Who's will am I serving? Who do I glorify?
When I walk out of my house wearing my 'RIGHTEOUS CHRISTIAN SUIT' and go and deal with people, I represent "Christ"...or at least I think I do. Do I really?
"I'm going to do HIS WILL" I say to myself.
But am I really serving him or my own vanity and pride?
When I condemn someone in the name of Christ because they aren't at the same place I am in my walk with the Lord, who do I serve?
When I ridicule someone because they have a different perception of the Lord, who do I glorify?
When I have a condescending attitude or look down on someone for their weakness, or think less of them, what am I showing them?
MAT 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good
things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
MAT 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
MAT 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt
be condemned.
(It's time for a double helping of crow now!)
When I come across as a self righteous Bible thumper am I serving the Lord? In condemning and criticizing people, am I causing their hearts to be opened...or shut to the Lord?
Am I bringing LOVE and PEACE to a down trodden brother or sister who already has so much pain and sorrow in their life?
In my life, I have found, more often than not, that I have turned people away from the Lord through my pride, arrogance, vanity, selfishness. I have witnessed this first hand in other "Christians" as well.
If I find myself getting annoyed and 'turned off' by the "I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG" mentality in other Christians, how much worse will that situation be for non-Christians to deal with?
Am I pointing the way to the Lord in my actions and speech? Or am I just another self righteous, egotistical, self serving "it's my way or the highway", "know it all" type Christian?
(I'm starting to get obese eating all this crow and humble pie)
Would anyone look at my egotistical, prideful attitude and say to themselves "I want to be like him?" Or "I want what he has."
Furthermore, if I announce myself as a believer in Christ (while I'm wearing my self righteous suit), would any non-believer I reach out to want to convert to what I define Christianity to be?
I believe this to be one of the biggest issues facing Christianity today and one of the biggest hinderances to the church in fulfilling HIS WILL.
MY RESOLUTION:
Walk in understanding, empathy, and humility regardless of my feelings or respect for the person.
In order to serve the Lord I MUST SERVE HIS INTERESTS, not my own.
My selfishness must end and HIS GLORY MUST BEGIN.
Christ led by the ultimate example of humility. A KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDS chose to humble himself before us. A master became a servant. Not just to tell but to SHOW BY EXAMPLE.
I must follow HIS example.
MAT 10:24 The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his
lord.
Finally, if I must correct someone, I must do it in humility and with all love.
GAL 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted.
GAL 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
GAL 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself.
GAL 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing
in himself alone, and not in another.
GAL 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
GAL 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in
all good things.
GAL 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap.
GAL 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but
he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
GAL 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.
GAL 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men],
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Let us all GLORIFY the FATHER and the SON in all of our actions and speech.
Let us all CARE for each other and LOVE each other AS HE LOVED US.
JOH 3:30 He must increase, but I [must] decrease.
Peace and love to all of you. May the Lord bless and keep you.
J
Have you ever noticed how "Christians", when speaking to other Christians, or non-Christians, have such a love and passion for spreading the WORD that we often get into the mind set of "I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG?" Or we get into a frustrated mentality "WHY CAN'T THEY UNDERSTAND? ARE THEY JUST PLAIN DUMB?"
This frustration can lead into anger and then instead of merely thinking evil of our brothers and sisters, we verbalize it!
JAM 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue,
but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
JAM 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
JAM 3:6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among
our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of
nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
JAM 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things
in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
JAM 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.
What is the cause?
Lately, two of the biggest issues I have been facing in my walk with the Lord are PRIDE and SELFISHNESS.
PRIDE:
"I KNOW I'M RIGHT! I have studied this for 20 years and you haven't done your homework, you don't know what you're talking about!"
"Who are you to lecture me on this topic? What would you know about anything?"
"You're just a know it all hypocrite spreading ignorance and lies."
Yes, I've thought these things and worse...even verbalized them to and AT people. I find when I remember those past sins I get to eat yet another slice of humble pie. In fact, I just happen to own a bakery that specializes in humble pie.
(A little humor can be a good thing!)
SELFISHNESS:
Who's will am I serving? Who do I glorify?
When I walk out of my house wearing my 'RIGHTEOUS CHRISTIAN SUIT' and go and deal with people, I represent "Christ"...or at least I think I do. Do I really?
"I'm going to do HIS WILL" I say to myself.
But am I really serving him or my own vanity and pride?
When I condemn someone in the name of Christ because they aren't at the same place I am in my walk with the Lord, who do I serve?
When I ridicule someone because they have a different perception of the Lord, who do I glorify?
When I have a condescending attitude or look down on someone for their weakness, or think less of them, what am I showing them?
MAT 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good
things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
MAT 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
MAT 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt
be condemned.
(It's time for a double helping of crow now!)
When I come across as a self righteous Bible thumper am I serving the Lord? In condemning and criticizing people, am I causing their hearts to be opened...or shut to the Lord?
Am I bringing LOVE and PEACE to a down trodden brother or sister who already has so much pain and sorrow in their life?
In my life, I have found, more often than not, that I have turned people away from the Lord through my pride, arrogance, vanity, selfishness. I have witnessed this first hand in other "Christians" as well.
If I find myself getting annoyed and 'turned off' by the "I AM RIGHT, YOU ARE WRONG" mentality in other Christians, how much worse will that situation be for non-Christians to deal with?
Am I pointing the way to the Lord in my actions and speech? Or am I just another self righteous, egotistical, self serving "it's my way or the highway", "know it all" type Christian?
(I'm starting to get obese eating all this crow and humble pie)
Would anyone look at my egotistical, prideful attitude and say to themselves "I want to be like him?" Or "I want what he has."
Furthermore, if I announce myself as a believer in Christ (while I'm wearing my self righteous suit), would any non-believer I reach out to want to convert to what I define Christianity to be?
I believe this to be one of the biggest issues facing Christianity today and one of the biggest hinderances to the church in fulfilling HIS WILL.
MY RESOLUTION:
Walk in understanding, empathy, and humility regardless of my feelings or respect for the person.
In order to serve the Lord I MUST SERVE HIS INTERESTS, not my own.
My selfishness must end and HIS GLORY MUST BEGIN.
Christ led by the ultimate example of humility. A KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDS chose to humble himself before us. A master became a servant. Not just to tell but to SHOW BY EXAMPLE.
I must follow HIS example.
MAT 10:24 The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his
lord.
Finally, if I must correct someone, I must do it in humility and with all love.
GAL 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted.
GAL 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
GAL 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself.
GAL 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing
in himself alone, and not in another.
GAL 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
GAL 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in
all good things.
GAL 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap.
GAL 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but
he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
GAL 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.
GAL 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men],
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Let us all GLORIFY the FATHER and the SON in all of our actions and speech.
Let us all CARE for each other and LOVE each other AS HE LOVED US.
JOH 3:30 He must increase, but I [must] decrease.
Peace and love to all of you. May the Lord bless and keep you.
J