Have you ever considered asking yourself this question? Who am I and how am I coming across to those around me? I would rather be known as someone who loves people and tries to encourage them than someone who is known for start controversy and pointless debates. How are we training those following us to be?
If you think about it....it was the Pharisees who were always trying to debate and act "Spiritual". The Pharisee's wanted to cast stones....Christ wanted to love and forgive. He showed love to the woman caught in the act of adultery and told the Pharisee's "let he who is without sin cast the 1st stone"We need to ask ourselves, if we were living in Bible times, which crowd would we be running with ? "Pharisees" or "Christians"....some have already answered that question with their words and attitudes......
It was the love of Christ that drew me to him, I have never heard of someone coming to know Christ through a debate on a public forum on things such as: whether it's OK to paint your toenails a certain color or not. I have, however, heard of those being convicted of their sins by people simply preaching and teaching about Christ and the love and grace He bestows upon us all ...."For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17......and yes, I have painted my toenails all different colors if it matched a outfit I was wearing!
......and yes, I still believe in BIBLICAL separation, just tired of all the people that ACT like they are so much more "Spiritual" because they don't go here or there or wear this or that....our righteousness is as filthy rags.
We recently went to six flags and got glares and "proud looks" from the Pharisee crowd (who we knew personally) because we didn't meet THEIR standards of approval. All of us girls were dressed feminine and modest, but because it didn't meet their criteria and because it was sleeveless, it was wrong in their eyes. My son was dressed masculine, but heaven forbid, he was wearing shorts!!! gasp!!
A lot of people want to taunt you with Deut.22:5 (the main point of this Scripture is distinction of gender), but they somehow overlook the fact that Proverbs 6:17 tells us that God hates a" proud look" and that it's an abomination to him just as much as cross dressing!
I remember growing up seeing men of God spend most of a Saturday praying to God and studying His Word and seeking God's face for a sermon,and nowadays you see them spending a whole day debating on facebook about pointless things that aren't gonna matter in eternity, and we wonder why our churches are what they are....they're only as strong as their leader.
My daughter was personally with a "Pharisee" one day at the mall and heard her making a comment about a guy that had long hair and how sick it was. Then the girl gave him a dirty look because of it....my question is...How will this help someone come to know Christ ?....time is running out, and while we're so busy giving proud looks and being judgmental, people are dying without Christ.
I would much rather be labeled as someone who sat with sinners rather than someone who was so standard and conviction minded that I hindered someone from coming to know Christ or hurt another brother or sister in Christ.
So, if you see me in public and give me one of those looks, I will be thinking the same thing you are....how sick!! Only I will be thinking about how sick a proud look is..... I am so thankful to finally be free to only concern myself with what God thinks of me! He is really all that matters, when this thing is over!!
