Compassion

I've been finding my heart breaking a lot lately over the way people are treated. Its like compassion-less, judgemental, critical, condemning poision that permeates the soul. It bothers me. It upsets me and I find myself frustrated and weeping for those who are the brunt of it. What on earth am I talking about? For one, gossip. "You won't believe what she did." "I can't stand her. She's a loser." "The world would be better off with out her."Folks,this is unacceptable. UNACCEPTABLE. Not only is this an unacceptable, and inappropriate way to treat someone, but it is heartless. It's not at all how Jesus would treat them, not by a long shot. As followers of Christ, we are to be like Jesus, right? I found myself in the presence of two people having a conversation about a third person, loudly, in public. These two people were speaking such foul words towards another human being. They were down right cruel. I found myself stopping what I was doing and praying for the young lady they were judging, and criticizing. My heart broke for her. I didn't know her and my heart broke for her. Unfortunately, in our culture today that is so media possessed, this happens a lot. Consider Miley Cyrus and Amanda Bynes, for starters. These two young women have made their fair share of mistakes. They've messed up. They've fallen and perhaps even still falling, and yet, where is the compassion for them? I mean, what is compassion anyway? The Bible says that "The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." (Psalm 103:13) Compassion is free of judgement, condemnation, and criticism. Compassion is devoid of hatred, cutting remarks, and rude comments. To be compassionate toward someone is to be loving, NO, full of love towards someone else. That means laying aside our own opinions and expectations of how they should behave; laying aside our quick uninformative judgements and glib criticisms; and remembering that who we are dealing with is a human being, created in the image and likeness of God - A human being that God loves, and cherishes greatly. Stop for a moment and think about the last person who's actions you may have criticized. What if the tables were turned? What if it was your mistakes, failures, mess ups, hang ups that were displayed for all to see and criticize? What if it was you who were being judged, criticized, and condemned for something you have done. How would you like someone to come to you? To talk about you? Treat you? Chances are not a single one of you would like to be treated the way that the media, which is basically a wolf in sheep's clothing, treats people. Now, I'm not in any way approving of the behaviors of these young women. (Like, it's my "right" to approve of them and what they do in the first place) What I am saying is, behaviors aside, God loves Miley, and Amanda, and the young woman I over heard a discussion about, infinitely more that we can ever imagine. He loves the person he created despite their behaviors. The Bible says in Luke 6:36, "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others..." As followers of Christ, that is not in any way, shape or form, a suggestion. It's a command. The truth is, that no matter what you have done. No matter where you have been, God loves YOU infinitely more than you could ever imagine. No matter how many times you have messed up or failed, He still loves you. He's still compassionate towards you. He still longs to have a relationship with you. There is nothing that can ever take his love away from you. Nothing. I want you to think about this the next time you hear someone speaking hatred towards someone else. I want you to think about this the next time you read another headline about what Miley, Amanda, or another actress / musician has done lately. I want you to think about this the next time you make a mistake and find yourself at the mercy of a loving, compassionate God. Would you want to be judged? Would you want to be criticized? Would you want to be condemned? I'm pretty sure the answer is, no. Here is a challenge for you. The next time you feel the urge to judge, criticize, or condemn, why not ask God to help you pray for the person instead? Why not make every effort to be compassionate. Jesus did.

What are you working off?

I just absolutely love it when I clearly see God working in my life. This past week was one of those weeks when God was showing his mighty stitchwork on the tapestry of my life. Little by little things were coming together and my vision was becoming a little clearer. Last night I was so excited and just so amazed by God's awesomeness. I had a revelation of sorts. Another to add to a list from this past weekend. Not just a moment of repeating information in a fancy manner, but instead a moment of real, true knowledge and freedom from a bondage I had no idea I was in chains from. There's something overwhelmingly powerful and illustrative of God's love when a complete stranger literally wipes the tears from your eyes with their own hands, all the while speaking the truth from the Holy Spirit into your soul,into your heart, breathing life where there was death, and bursting light forth where there was darkness. That's what happened Saturday while my church had a guest speaker come to minister to the leadership. I was awesomely blessed by an invitation to attend and was set free from the bondage of rejection, judgementalism, legalism and unbelief. Unwillingly, I had been carrying all of those burdens with me for quite a while, but I had failed to notice them anymore because I had stuffed them down deep inside. God had a special message for me then. He wanted me to know that I don't have to prove anything to anyone. He wanted me to know that he already accepts me and approves of me and that his love for me is not based on anything I do. Ever. Period. He wanted me to see that I was believing the lie, "You are no good." Whether I was really aware of it or not, I was trying really hard to make sure I dotted all my "i's" and crossed all my "t's". I was trying hard to prove that I was worthy. I was trying hard to prove to people that they were wrong about me, all the while ignoring the truth about who I am - a beloved, cherished, accepted treasure; a child of the risen King. Sunday, my Pastor spoke about Spiritual Growth. The part that stuck with me the most was about "working OUT our salvation NOT working for our salvation." Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV) says;

"12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

He talked a little bit how the word "religion" means "return to bondage". Legalism. Judgementalism. Rejection. Bondage. Last night during my small group, I could feel the Holy Spirit speaking to me, saying, "Remember that passage from Sunday? "Work OUT your salvation; NOT work for. (or even work off) Working off your salvation... hmmmm..... Have I been trying to work OFF my salvation? We work OFF debts. Indentured Servants worked OFF a debt owed to a "master." This relationship was fear-based. "I have to do this right or suffer the consequences. I have to do this right to prove that I am worthy of another day to work off my debts. If I make even the tiniest mistake, I am no good." Wow. Am I the only one who has had that mindset? I'm pretty sure I'm not. God never intended for us to have "religion". He certainly doesn't want us to be in bondage and he most definitely does not want us to be so afraid of him that we respond to him out of fear rather than love. God desires a real, authentic relationship with us, based on love. God offered his FREE (That means we owe nothing for it)gift of salvation to us because of his love for us and because of his desire to have a real, authentic relationship with each and every one of us. Salvation is not a debt to be worked off. It is not a wage, because there is nothing we can do to work for it, even if we tried. Salvation is a gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 says;

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

If we spend all our time trying to work for, or work off our Salvation we are not growing spiritually, we are living in bondage, and we are certainly not working out our salvation- that is growing in our relationship with a loving God and bearing fruit. Think about these questions for a moment. Can you really enjoy the presence of God if you are focused on working for or working off your salvation? Can you have a real, authentic relationship based on fear? I'm going to say NO! Without a doubt, NO - to both questions. Legalism is bondage. It is a fear based relationship with God that says, "If I don't do this right, I will suffer the consequences. If I make a mistake, even a tiny one, I am no good." Those are lies. Living according to the law is not living at all. It's living in fear; fear of failing, fear of making a mistake, fear of losing your salvation, fear of disappointing God. If you are living with these, chances are you are in bondage to Legalism, Judgementalism, Rejection and yes, even Unbelief. Living by God's grace is living. It's a moment to moment surrendering of the flesh, your own desires, your own understanding and walking by faith trusting that God is who he says he is and can and will do what he says he will do. It's growing in a loving relationship with a loving God. Now is the time for us to take the freedom that Christ has paid for in full for us.

Lord Jesus, Thank you so much for freedom from legalism, judgementalism, rejection and unbelief. Lord, help me to see more lied that I have believed and more ways that I have been deceived. Open up my heart to recieve all that you have for me. Help me to walk in the freedom that you have already given to me. Thank you for loving me right where I am at. In Jesus Name, Amen.