Do not judge others, and you will not be judged
It's just been a heaviness on my heart lately how sometimes even in churches people are looking for perfection. I feel that if we are all looking for perfect people then why do we call ourselves Christ followers? Jesus went to people who were far from perfect and healed them. God chose people who had issues far before Jesus was even on the earth. All the GREAT people in the bible were people who had REAL issues who God changed.
This past week I attended two churches because I had gone camping Sunday and attended church there then attended the church I am a member at on Wed. night. Both churches talked about the blind men who were healed. However the service I attended while camping explained how Paul was blinded by God before his life was transformed by God. Paul for those of you who don't know was a really wicked person before God transformed him. Paul actually killed Christians. When God struck Paul and blinded him it was for not only him to see his life differently but it was for others to start seeing him differently. I am SURE that when Paul was healed by God and started serving God people were wondering "what" was going on. I am sure a lot of them still didn't trust Paul. However, they didn't realize that is the way God works. He takes the broken, past burdened people, and transforms them and uses their testimonies and passionate hearts to save lives.
The story that my home pastor preached on last night was talking about two blind men who were begging for healing from Jesus. The disciples actually told them to be quiet but they refused. When Jesus had compassion on them and healed them they followed him and began to walk amongst the ones that were trying to shush them. Just another testimony of God's power to decide who out of the outcasts will serve Him.
One of my friends got tired of people judging her for her past all the time. She finally went back to the church that she grew up in and went to in her youth. Instead of judging her for her past they took her in and welcomed her with open arms. They knew she had issues but they wanted to remind her that God can still use her. Their compassion helped transform her life. She was unable to get a job because of her criminal background but they looked past that also and offered her a job using her gift in a Christian camp. She has been cared for and not cast out and in return God is using her this summer to touch the lives of youth. She will in return for the compassion that was put on her make sure that she helps any young girl to stay on the right path and not be led astray. God is going to use her in mighty ways!
So the next time you see a person in church who looks a little out of sorts remind yourself that they just might be God's next great warrior. They just might have the hope of hundreds in their heart. They could reach people and transform lives. Don't be blind to who God can use! Open your eyes and open your heart!
(Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 15:5)
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