So I have learned an important lesson that was a long time coming for me. It has changed the way I look at people. It has changed my relationships with people and it has made me a more effective discipler for Jesus. It is pretty simple. Are you ready?
I stopped judging other people’s rightness. I stopped deciding if they were a Christian or a “right” Christian.
I don’t mean their righteousness. Jesus does that.
Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Rom. 3:24
No, not righteousness. Rightness. That’s how right they are. Right about their church, their practices and their salvation. I stopped judging that.
If someone tells me that they are a Christian I started doing something different. I believe them. Then I start our relationship on the spot as equals.
You see, I didn’t used to believe them. I used to think they probably thought they were a Christian but they really didn’t know The Truth. I might not have said it, but inside I secretly thought they were delusional, misled or just plain wrong. Maybe they were, but I was too.
Something amazing happened when I stop judging. When I stopped trying to determine how right and wrong people were, I learn some things. Instead of looking for the moment to teach them why they were wrong, I listened. I shared. And we grew. We grew together. We grew in grace. We grew in truth.
We can move forward helping each other be better Christ following disciples. We can help each other be better:
Commandment Keepers
If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15
Self Deny-ers
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
Lover-ers
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35
