I think I need to clarify some more. I need to build on what was in yesterday’s discussion. The discussion was in regard to not judging–finding no condemnation. What does that look like?

The church should be a place of refuge. It should be a place filled with people who are filled with the love of Christ, the One who did not judge others nor find condemnation in their past. Jesus looked at those with the dark past, the skeleton in the closet, and found–get this–compassion.

He looked at them and saw what they could be, not where they were. He saw them as people, not a statistic, not as a project, not as a charity, and not as a ministry!

Is it that way today? Don’t we have a tendency to label more than we love? We have to change. We have to look beyond what is face value. We have to look beyond the person’s past and see THE PERSON!

What would it take to see beyond the man’s adultery? To see the woman and not the pregnancy or the abortion? Even as you read those three words, your mind and emotions reacted. Something came to your mind. The question though, is what is your answer? When faced with that moment, what would you say? Could you show love the way that we are called to love? Could you look at him and offer him the friendship he needs? Could you look at her and see the pain she carries through your own opinions? Her hurt goes so much deeper than any pity you may have. Jesus knew that.

In Romans 8, we have a great example.

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

 11 “No, Lord,” she said.

   And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

It’s obvious, but it’s also not that easy, is it? It is time to go a little deeper.

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There’s a problem. There’s something that keeps rearing its ugly head, and we have to do something about it. Now that the political fires are starting to burn brightly, we have to do something with more urgency. Once the news and talking heads begin to spout out their opinions, it may be too late.

Judgment. Condemnation. It will all come out, disguised in a political opinion, cloaked in media spin, and hidden in concern. Either way, it will come across as just opinion, but it is what it is. Judgment. Condemnation. That’s the furthest thing from what we are called to be as Christians.

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul first addressed the fact that we are, at our best, still floundering, still fighting to live better. We still struggle with sin, and doing things that we know we shouldn’t.

I decided to use The Message version for these verses, because I wanted to make sure I was speaking plainly in this. So, at the end of Romans, in chapter 7: 17-23, Paul says

“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.”

It’s not that we look at people and purposefully try to see all their failures, but in fact, we probably look to see if they have the same failures we have. Society in general has a tendency to lift people onto pedestals only to try to knock them off of it. We slay the very heroes we create.

In Romans 8, Paul continues with the explanation of how we have escaped that guilt of failure.

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

When we becomes Christians, we are freed from the condemnation that comes with the failure in our lives. More importantly, it frees us from seeking the condemnation in others’ failures, slip ups, indiscretions, and moments of weakness and heartbreak. It means that we, as Christians, are supposed to be like Christ, thus the name. If we are who we are called to be, then we are not judgmental or critical, because Jesus wasn’t.

Jesus chose imperfection. When He chose those who would be closest to Him, those who would live life with Him, He chose those who were, get this, normal! He chose imperfection.

When Jesus addressed those that would be the easiest targets of criticism and judgment, He never did. In fact, He did the opposite. He showed compassion. He showed His love.

Where do you stand? Do you struggle with judgmental thoughts? It’s easy to do so. But, you have help. You have opportunity to make a difference. You have all that you need to make the change. And with the upcoming political season, we’ll need all the help we can get.

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When I was growing up, there was one thing that I knew at an early age, and that was you were expected to work hard. No one took it easy, at least very often. I was surrounded by hard workers, and I was expected to do the same. There’s something to be said about a job well done, and it feels great to finish. I wonder about those who don’t work hard. Solomon has a word for those; “foolish.”

In Ecclesiastes 10, Solomon gives us a few words of wisdom (of course) for parents, as well as those in leadership positions. He says that the foolish are easy to spot, and that they can ruin a lot of things that the wise have worked hard to accomplish.

In verses 1-3, he says,
1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,
so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.

3 You can identify fools
just by the way they walk down the street!

At first thought, I wondered if it was rue that the foolish wwere so easy spot. I think, at times, it is. Of course, if you watch the news you see it nightly. But then there are those times that your spirit tells you, warns you, that you are around or dealing with someone who is foolish. I pray that I don’t have to deal with that when my daughter one day introduces me to her boyfriend!

On the leadership side, certainly there are times that we have to deal with those who are less motivated than we want them to be. In verse 15, Solomon puts it this way,
“Fools are so exhausted by a little work
that they can’t even find their way home.”

Again, I go back to my childhood. I was raised knowing what hard work was, and I honestly believe that is a rarity in today’s society. There aren’t many I have found that come into the “real world” with an understanding of how to work. That falls on us parents.

There’s something to be said about experience and qualifications. Too many people believe God is just going to give them the six-figure income and corner office, for no other reason than being themselves! As leaders, we need to make sure that we are choosing and making wise decisions on those we put into leadership positions. As parents, we need to choose wisely when it comes to rewarding our children.

Solomon actually admonishes those things he had witnessed up to that point. In verse 5-6, he says
“

There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.”

See exactly how Solomon describes this? He says it’s “evil.” He says it’s a “grave mistake” when the wrong people are in the wrong places. It’s a mistake to just put people or reward people with position, status, or any other form of award without merit. This is much different from blessing someone who has a need in their life. What Solomon is referring to here is that “good old boy” network, or illegal kickbacks and preferences.

We have a lot to consider! Solomon has definitely challenged us as parents, leaders, managers, or wherever we are in life. If it’s dealing with coworkers, employees, or our kids, he has given us some words to teach.

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I have struggled lately trying to figure out how to write what God has been teaching me. See, when I finished with the New Testament, God had really pressed on my mind and heart to start in the Old Testament. I wasn’t very excited. I struggle with the thought of going into the Old Testament. It has been a long time, and at times, it seems so out-of-date. God led me to Ecclesiastes of all places. And you know what? I was wrong.

Ecclesiastes is written by Solomon, the wisest and richest king who ever lived. You would think that he had some insightful, uplifting words of wisdom. Well, as I started the chapter I figured out that at this point in his life, Solomon had figured out a few things and most of them came across as, well, depressing. He starts out expressing his thoughts of how all things are meaningless, all things are depressing! It’s not what I though I was going to read.

That leads us to chapter 5, where I am now. When I hit this chapter, I realized what Solomon was getting at in this chapter. See, it’s not all about all things being meaningless; it’s all about our choices and our focus. It’s also about following through on what we say we will.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 says this:
7 “Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.”

When we make promises, they mean absolutely nothing if we don’t follow through. That’s what “talk is cheap” means. Our mouth can write checks that our will can’t cash. It’s not about what we say but what we do. Words are like the wind, like playing games. They don’t really matter. What matters is our God. And when we make promises to Him, praise Him, speak to Him; that’s when our words matter.

Our work isn’t what matters. It’s our expectations from our work. It’s our focus on the work. If our life is all about our work, then it becomes meaningless. God means for us to enjoy our work, and to find a healthy balance. Solomon puts it this way

Ecclesiastes 5:18-19

“18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.”

See, God wants us to have purpose in what we do, and that it will be fulfilling, and He does want to bless us through it. We aren’t to find our identity in it. God’s intention is that we work, work hard, and have the health to enjoy the things He gives us. See what verse 19 says? It says it’s a good thing to “receive wealth from God.” It’s not about pursuing that, but accepting it when God chooses to bless us. Solomon was someone who knew all about that. He understood.

What is your focus today? What are your words and what are they directed toward? How do you view your work? Is it all-consuming? Is it taking the place of God? Is it taking the place of your family? Or have you found the balance? Have you found the place where God wants you to be? It’s a gift from God when you do. It’s where He wants you. Meet Him there.

Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, I want my focus to be on You. I want to focus on what You want for me. It’s not about work or achievement, but Your desire for my life. Help me to find that. Help me to find the place where I can live in Your blessing. You are my Provider, You are my everything. I love you, and I ask this is only Your name, Jesus, Amen.”

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There are a lot of people who have bought into this idea that the world is ending tomorrow, Saturday, May 21, 2011. They have heard the teaching of Harold Camping of Family Radio. I have to admit, I am surprised at the news. Mostly because I know that Jesus would be surprised as well. I can’t imagine that God would reveal to this man what He would not reveal even to His Son.

In Matthew 24, Jesus was speaking to His disciples when He told them that when He returns, when the day of judgement happens, it would be the day that God looks at Him and says, “Go.”

In verses 36-39, Jesus says this;

 36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

It would be amazing at this point to hear that revelation from Christ only to have a mere “mortal man” suddenly claim to know that which Jesus Himself said He did not know! Can you believe God’s word? Do you believe Him? Could God have just changed His mind? Here’s the answer: NO.

In Numbers 23:19, God’s word says

 19 God is not a man, so he does not lie.
      He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
   Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
      Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

God is consent. He does not change or lie, so certainly He has not changed His mind about this.

Let me be clear on this; the world will not end tomorrow. It will not end even according to the Mayan Calendar. It will happen when we least expect it. It will happen according to God’s Word.

Enjoy your Saturday tomorrow.

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