Something has been really troubling me lately with the "Christians" of today. I notice a lot of people on my Facebook and around the internet in general with a "Kill them" or "Give them hell" attitude toward others. A lot of it is when there is an attack overseas and Muslims die, or when a criminal does a horrific crime and the police kill him. Sometimes when someone gets the death penalty people even snub their noses in the air and say "He deserved it.", but who are we to judge anyone else?
Galations 5:22-23 tells us "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.", and if this is the case, where are these qualities in the modern church? Is it truly loving to say, "This man murdered someone, let's kill him"? Are we longsuffering when we consign someone to die? How about in the Muslim world, when the USA sends a drone out or shoots a missile at a compound, destroying that person, perhaps even dozens of people that just so happened to be with the so called "terrorist"? When someone dies not knowing Christ, they are truly lost and we have taken away their hope of salvation by ending their life.
Another problem I see is that in my area a lot of people are on drugs and the people are so quick to point a finger and say "let them rot in jail". These people need help, not jail time. When you put them behind bars the only thing you do is create withdrawals, causing them to seek out the same drug, maybe even a worse one when they get out. Is this being gentle to others?
I challenge each and every one of you, before you point the finger at anyone next time, examine yourself. Matthew 7:5 says "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.", which is to say who is perfect? You may not be on drugs, you may not be a murderer, you may not even outright break any of God's laws that you know of. However, Proverbs 23:7 tells us plainly "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.". Jesus even said in Matthew 5:21-22 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
I myself am guilty of these things. I often look upon people and judge them, and anyone who says they don't is a liar. I've seen many a "perfect Christians" look down upon others because of their situation. Often times they would be happy to cast the first stone. I have decided that even if jury duty comes upon me, I cannot in good conscious convict a person. The key is not to judge others, but to look upon them with compassion, put your arm around them and say, "I know where you are, I've been there myself. What can I do to help?"
Are you, as a Christian, ready to condemn others for what they do or help them be saved through Christ? After all, the word "Christian" means "To be like Christ". Who are you being like Christ to today?
John 3:12-17 "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
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