The judging that shoos not woos others to Christ

It is really very difficult to glorify God every day of our lives. In the research institute I work at, not a few of the Christians struggle to keep their testimonies. The only Christian director we had was sadly relieved of his position in relation to many issues. Some of the more vocal Christians are disliked or hated either because they are tactless, proud, arrogant, or just being very judgmental. Some are also disliked simply because they seem to be the ‘holy art thous’. I, for one, made a terrible mistake in one period of my life because I thought I was doing a family I was counseling some good. The fact was I did not; it just felt good being depended at, and I got caught in the miry clay. That chapter of my life is now long buried and I know that my transgression is blotted out by virtue of the blood of Christ. But yes, the damage has been done.

Just now, an officemate can’t help but cry because she read a surprising very judgmental email from a professing Christian. She told me to read it and while it probably meant to rebuke, it didn’t arrive well; actually it arrived as a very unkind condemning judgment even to me who was not involved. Worse, the accused was not given a chance to explain. Worst, based on the facts I gathered, the accused cannot be guilty as judged. This is another one of the many cases of a Christian’s judgmental tendencies that shoos others rather than woos. And it was a written message, not a spoken one (so it must have been thought over well somehow). It can forever be saved in the inbox where the recipient can save for future investment in resentment. It didn’t even start with a “dear” and had no “might” or “maybes”. It condemned even before it loved.

It is a very sad picture because our God is rich in mercy and loves us so much, and all He wants is for us to love Him, and love our neighbors as ourselves. He was very gracious to us, saving us, because we cannot save ourselves. And now, still by His grace, there is now no condemnation due us who believe. So if God was that gracious and merciful to us, how can we not be more gracious and less condemning and judgmental of others?