“One of the first times I looked through binoculars happened to be at a Dodger game as we were in what is known as the nosebleed section. Now the pair I was using were a cheap knock off so I didn’t see the benefit of using them. It did make me look a little closer, but it took away from the overall picture of what was happening. The players were still small and I couldn’t track the play any better. When I took them out of my eyes, I had a quick feeling of being off balance, and it is why I really don’t like using binoculars.
Jesus reminds us in His sermon on the mount about a lot of things and the center of it all, is love. When we love God, and I mean truly love God, everything else falls into place. Even people hating us and not agreeing with us is covered. The passage that speaks to me the most about our walk and unity is in Matthew Seven,
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (ESV)
I have been guilty of this passage more times than I can count. I used to run around like Pinocchio poking people in the eye, and all the while, I was committing those same sins. I could focus; like using binoculars on one small round view, and not worry about the whole “play” that was happening. I’m not one of “them,” or one of “those,” was my mantra, and yet in many cases I was worse. Paul in Romans reminds us in chapter Two,
“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” (ESV)
The fields are white for the harvest as Jesus reminds us, and instead of worrying about people’s souls, we are just hidden in our boxes regardless of “social distancing!” The only thing that has changed is that it makes it easier for us to not see, and have to talk to people about Jesus. I am thankful to the people in my life who were not afraid to share Jesus with me or who knows where I’d be, so it should be with us.
You may say, well it seems like you’re passing judgment on others with this writing, but I pray you realize that like the Israelites ignoring the prophets and promises of God, they went into captivity and some didn’t get into the promised land. We can’t use the Bible to condemn people only, we have to use it to lead them to Jesus and let the Spirit convict them, as He did for me and everyone else.
We never know where people are in life, and could end up pushing people away rather than drawing them nearer. Paul reminds us in First Corinthians Thirteen,
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (ESV)
I will never compromise and water down the Gospel, but we need to start with love, and not look down at people but look at them, like Jesus looked upon us, as He hung on the cross, knowing we needed a Savior and friend first. Jesus didn’t turn anyone away, but many turned and still turn away from Him.
So my question is how are you using your binoculars? Are we only focusing on one part of people or are we realizing that people are lost, hurting, afraid, broken and in need of Jesus? Paul says in First Corinthians thirteen,
“Love is patient and love is kind, Love never fails!” [Jesus is love first and foremost!] “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (ESV)
We are to make disciples, not build churches, or fences around us to keep people away!”
Jose Barajas
0 comments:
Post a Comment