The HEART of the matter

Micah 6:8: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

I spoke with someone today who was going through very stressful times.  I asked this gentleman if he had prayed, or if he ever goes to church.  He said that he doesn't, and the reason why is because he is so sick and tired of all the fighting that goes on among religious people.  He gave some examples, that really went along with republicans and conservatives more so than Christians themselves.  However, he also gave instances of church committees and leaders who fight and argue after church, more craziness and stress than this man needed in his already hectic, stress-laden life.

I also recalled my Sunday School lesson I just gave to my class on Sunday.  We are studying the crucifixion, and one of the ironic things we learned about it was the people who hated Jesus were religious people.  They resented the little children who adored Jesus.  They murmured after the people waved palm branches at Jesus, crying, "Hosanna!"  They tried him at night when his beloved followers weren't around to defend him. What was their ultimate motivation for killing Jesus?  Hate.  What did they hate Him?  They were jealous.  They were supposed to be men of God, but they were men of themselves and their own selfish pride, wanting the power over the people, and the adoration as holy men, when in fact they were like nicely painted grave stones with dead men's bones inside.

Religious wars have been responsible for attacks across the globe and even in America.  Do you think it is religion that Jesus gave His life for?  No.  He gave His life for the souls of you and I.  Please don't get distracted by the mess man has made with "religion."  Read the Word of God, which is sacred Scripture, for yourself, and develop a personal relationship with God Almighty, so powerful He spoke the world into existence, and yet so intimate that He hears your whispered prayer.  He will speak to you in a still, small voice, so you have to quiet your life down enough so you can hear Him.  He's not going to shout over your video games, TV shows, music, business, jobs, phone calls, emails, facebook.  Shhhhhh....listen.  Read the Bible and meditate on it in quietness.  Sometimes I try to multitask and listen to the Christian radio station while I read my Bible.  How silly is that?

Remember that the HEART of the matter is each individual person, and showing love to them, and loving them enough to be truthful with them.  I recently spoke about my book at a library, and a friend of mine was there, and when I asked her if I sounded as nervous as I felt, she said, "Sorry, but yes!"  She chuckled, and I felt a little zap.  Where was my encouragement?  Where was my praise for at least having the courage to get up there?  No, she loved me enough to be honest.  I started tearing it apart in my mind, and thought of some things I could have done better.  Next time I'll be ready! 

As frustrated as we may get at the sin all around us, and as shocked as we may be when we hear people twisting the truth into horrible lies that to our dismay and utter disbelief, people are actually buying into, we have to remember that people will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love.

John 13:35: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Before you give up on God because you are so distracted with how lousy a job Christians are doing at representing Christ, please meet Him personally.