We Are His and None Are Excluded

As I was scrolling through social media, I saw something that didn’t sit well with me. 

I ignored it. As I usually do. 
Because I learned a long time ago that responding to posts like this really won’t get you anywhere. 

But I kept coming back to it. 
I kept thinking about the words I read and the comments that followed this post. 

And I was reminded once again that as Christians, we need to be careful not to judge others. 

It is not our place. 
It is not our job. 
I am not your Holy Spirit. And you are not mine. 

It is one thing if we are in a close relationship with someone and have been given a place in their lives to speak truth in love over them. To walk alongside them. And encourage them. 

It is another to claim someone is, or isn’t, a Christian based on what we see. 

Yes, when we follow Christ, we exhibit fruit in our lives. 

But we also go through different seasons. Times when we may be struggling more than others. Times when we have drawn near to God and maybe times when we have fallen away. 

We also have our own personal relationship and are convicted of things at different times. 

It is dangerous territory to claim someone must not love Jesus because they:

cuss
or listen to certain music
or watch certain movies
or drink
or smoke
or hang out with certain people

Or anything really. 

We all fall short. 
We all struggle. 
We all lay things down and pick things up and lay things down again. 
We are not perfect. 

None of us. 

I wonder when people see us judging one another, do they see the love of Christ? 

When I first became a Christian, I struggled with legalism. I checked off my boxes and worked on my dos and don’ts and honestly, was a little judgmental, but as I have grown closer to the Lord and have matured in my faith, I have come to see how radical Jesus was in His love of others. How unconventional and counter-culteral He was during His time. 

He acted in ways, and said things and did things, that offended the religious leaders. 

They were so focused on their laws and their rules and their beliefs that they not only missed God in the flesh, but chose to kill Him. 

It breaks my heart to see us turning against one another because we feel like people aren’t acting Christian enough. 
I mean, what is that really? 

Someone, at some point in time, may see something they have been convicted of that God is still working out in me. But just because I’m not convicted of the same thing. Just because I struggle in that area – that doesn’t mean you can say I don’t love Jesus. 

Because I do. 
With all my heart and soul and mind. 

Friends, let’s show the world we are Christians by our love. 
Let’s build each other up. And encourage. And support. And build deep and meaningful relationships with one another. Let’s not say people can’t be Christians because they are liberal or conservative or democrat or republican or drive too fast or cuss or sing songs with inappropriate lyrics or whatever it may be. 

Let’s not make idols out of our political parties or personal beliefs and convictions. 

God loves us. All of us. None are excluded from that love.
He longs for us to be in relationship with Him. 
And that relationship is personal. 
It is different for all of us based on where we are in our walk. 

None of us is perfect. 
None of us ever will be. 

But thankfully we worship a God who is. He is perfectly tender and loving and gracious and merciful and just and good and forgiving. Oh, so very forgiving. 

As we should be, too. 

Let’s lay down our differences. 
Let’s lay down our judgments. 

Let’s love our neighbor as we long to be loved. 
As we are loved by the Lord. 

Not because of what we do, or don’t do, but simply for who we are. 

His children.

*This post originally appeared on my Truly Yours, Jen Facebook Page

*Sign up HERE for my Monthly Top 7 List!