Judging too Harshly?
It is not our job as Christians to change people's actions.
Yesterday’s post was by some people’s standards, a bit harsh. In fact I received a few emails informing me that I did not display the fruit of the spirit, love, in my post. Another email declared that I was judgmental. These certainly were harsh words and I had to stop and think about my post. I certainly am open to criticism and if I am wrong, I want to retract what I said. To that end, I would like to explain my post titled “Focus on the Family’s Approved List Christmas Retailers.“ Instead of replying to everyone’s email separately, I thought I would post an answer that address all the issues emailed to me.
First, I do not judge the motivation behind Focus on the Family’s decision to encourage Christians to boycott retailers. I am unable to read a person’s heart and in fact, as a Christian, I am not permitted to do so (the meaning behind Jesus’ words to not judge). I do, however, judge the action. In fact, we all must judge actions and we all do in all aspects of our lives. We make judgments whether we hire someone or not, we judge a person’s character and decide if we want them in our homes, we judge the character of our children’s playmates, etc. We are making judgments throughout our day whether we realize it or not. I made a judgment on what Focus on the Family’s decision was on the non believing world. I judged their action and the result of their action but did not judge their heart. That being said, I do understand why they did that but I could not disagree more with their decision. None of us Christians like to see the world decline morally.
But it is not our job as Christians to change people’s actions. Our job as Christians is to take the gospel to the world and through hearing and believing, God will change the person’s heart resulting in changed behavior. Christians are to be the light on the mantel. Without the changed heart, what’s the point? To make our shopping experience better? Let me ask this to those that criticized my post via email. Let’s say that the campaign to force retailers to use “Merry Christmas?” What is accomplished? And more important, why would they accommodate this request. They would accommodate it for one reason only — they want the sales. What a horrible tool and carrot we dangle before the non-Christian — utter the words that we want and we will pay you. In my dictionary, that is the definition of bribery.
As to the email that I received about the fruit of the spirit, love, that was “lacking” in my post, let me ask this. Where is the fruit of the spirit, love, when Christians are encouraged to boycott retailers? Where is the fruit of the spirit of love when we are using methods of coercion?
In the end, it does not promote the ‘reason for the season’ for everybody already knows the reason. They simply reject the reason. Saying Merry Christmas won’t change that. What will change that is if we don’t distance ourselves and take the time out of our busy shopping schedule and spend a few minutes with someone.
Saying Merry Christmas will only make our shopping experience more pleasant. It will not accomplish anything else. It is the Gospel that changes hearts resulting in changed behavior. Sometimes we do it backwards and that backwards method never works. I guess I wish that Christians would understand our role in our world and that is to share the Gospel. And that is the fruit of the spirit of love.
If we’re going to go to battle with the world, let’s choose our battles wisely.
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You are absolutely right on. Jennifer and I have discussed this very thing, but you’ve put it down with Christian clarity.
Hi Kent,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree, it seems silly to force people to say what we want them to say.
Umm really good reply Tishrei!!!! Forced change does no one any good History has shown us that! We celebrate Jesus Birthday December 25TH but even a lot of Christians act as if it’s their Birthday with all the hoopla. Enjoy your day Tishrei and delete,delete!
You know, that’s been my only complaint regarding Christmas — that is among Christians. Non Christians are not going to be celebrating the birth of our Savior. They don’t recognize Him as such. But in the Christian community, sometimes it seems as if the party is all about us.
I think that if you had condemned the entire organization of “Focus on the Family” for this list that they made, that might have been grounds to suggest that you were a bit too harsh. But, at least the way that I interpreted what you wrote, you simply were pointing out that this list of stores to boycott was a little out of line and certainly unbecoming of Christian behavior.
Obviously whenever we call into question the actions of prominent, popular Christian ministries we are going to step on some toes. Honestly, this can be a good thing. When people set their eyes upon a ministry rather than on the Lord, they are destined to be disappointed. All of us in ministry are only human, after all, and we are GOING to make some mistakes and poor decisions.
“Focus on the Family” has put out a lot of positive things and it would be wrong to condemn their entire operation, but you have not done that. You have simply pointed out that this action that they have made is Scripturally unsound and not in line with the teachings of our Savior. Some people are going to misinterpret this. But it is a great reminder that, although God works through ministries to teach His people and help them grow, our eyes should be set firmly on our perfect Savior, not an imperfect ministry, regardless of who they are.
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, AND SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11, emphasis added)
Thanks — and you correctly nailed my intent. I was not taking issue with the whole ministry of Focus on the Family. I think it is almost human nature to stand up for someone or an organization that we like which sometimes makes it difficult to see the intent of the message but instead, see it as an attack. I was not attacking but only took issue with this one particular aspect.
hi there very nice site, i saw your responce to my forum question and pages and posts
yes i want a devotion page where i can keep adding to it, how do you do yours?
stop by mine and say hello/
Liz
that sounds great. when you do rrs it could you tell me how you did do that? I am experimenting too.
I will soon have a blog button for all so stayed tuned. you can use it in your side bar to link back to my site.
off to play around, with my pages, something has to work. I switched from free webs and i like this formatte so far no ads in side bar.
well nice to meet you and stay in touch.
Liz
Tishrei,
All of this and many similar circumstances are evidence that we do live in the world, but are not to be of the world.
Margaret
Yeah Margaret,
it surely is evidence that we are in this world but HAPPILY we are not of this world.