FOR ALL

"Look back, and smile on perils past." - Walter Scott

FOR ALL

We are ALL humans, that means, we ALL have a PAST, can make mistakes. Lately, in the media is the story about Josh Duggar. In summary, it's a case of being disappointed by one person's failure: one person whom the world thinks shouldn't have made such mistakes, because of his faith. How ironic.
Michael J. Straczynski said, "People spend too much time finding other people to blame, too much energy finding excuses for not being what they are capable of being, and not enough energy putting themselves on the line, growing out of the past, and getting on with their lives." Christians are almost, always too quick to pull the plug on a fellow Christian, when they fall. Why?

Friel (sermon illustration) says he doesn't blame the world. He blames us--Christians!
Is it possible we(Christians) have become so obsessed with imposing our values on unbelievers that the world sees us as self-righteous Pharisees and not as blood-washed sinners? ... I would have shouted from the rooftops, "If you think Josh is wicked, you should meet the rest of us! That is why we are Christians! We need forgiveness for being wretched, vile, wicked rebels. If you are a rebel too, Jesus died for you! Run to Jesus! Join the wretched club."

We're encouraged, too, to turn every apparent "tragedy" into an "opportunity" to share the GREAT news that Christ died for "perverts, liars, thieves, drunkards, abortionists, Wall Street fat cats, skid row bums, suburban housewives, blue collar workers" and everyone else! ALL. Paul says, "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all..." Seeing a fallen brethren isn't an opportunity to pull the trigger, but to pull them out of the path of the devil's nozzle, it could've been you. Shalom