Lines In The Sand

People are funny.  I mean they really are funny.  We are so good at missing the obvious.  We are particularly good at missing the obvious in church circles.  Even though Jesus would say, "Take the log out of your eye first...then remove the speck in another's eye", we miss the obvious sarcasm and exaggeration in this word picture.  Jesus paints a picture of a person, let's call him "Bob", and he's trying to make sure that "Ralph" gets the speck out of his eye...yet he is doing it while carrying a much larger problem in his own eye...a stinkin' log!!!  Picture this dude with a freaking log jammed in his eye...and he is on your case about the "speck" that you have in your eye!  How ridiculous is that picture?  Yet, how awkwardly real is that picture?  Step back from the hyperbole for a moment and consider the last time you were critical of, or quick to point out the "speck" in someones life...yet you yourself are carrying a much larger, serious "log" in your own?  How easy is it for us to examine others lives but not our own?  We often examine in the name of righteousness or holiness, in church circles...cause somehow that makes it right?  I have had people ask me to correct someone because they dress the wrong way...too revealing or too tight.  I have had people insist I correct the guy who cusses...or drinks...or smokes...or smells like pot in church.  I have had people demand I get on the case of someone because of a whole myriad of faults in that other person's character, habits and rough edges.  Yet rarely do I have someone ask me to keep "them in line"...with their "habits"...their "faults"...or their "rough edges".   It's like a guy is standing in front of me smoking his cigarette demanding I go tell another guy to quit cussing...cause its making the church look bad somehow?  How weird is that?  We see the others flaws while embracing our own.  Apparently grace is sufficient for one but not the other.  Apparently mercy is extended to one, but not the other.  Apparently love and patience is available to one but not the other.  Is this what Jesus taught?  Is this what God requires?  How foolish we often look...before God...and before men.  Sometimes we are so busy contending for "righteousness" and "holiness" we are forgetting the obvious.  First of all, righteousness and holiness are not based in our behavior...they are based in God alone, for He alone is holy and righteous...not us.  Righteousness and holiness are attributed to us by faith in Jesus, not by our performance.  Secondly,  Jesus contends for "relationship" first...then for "righteousness".  We often get it so wrong.  We demand "right living" often to the detriment of the "relationship".  God, on the other hand, offers "relationship", so that we may learn to become "right living" people, through experiencing His love.   We often get so caught up in drawing lines in the sand...you should not smoke...you should not cuss...you should not drink...you should not wear tight clothing...you should not listen to secular music...you should not watch TV...you should not play pool...or go into movies theatres...or whatever other crazy arbitrary line we want to draw.  What makes us think that will attract anyone closer to God?  Let's face it, it has proven it does not.  Why?  Because our random quest for "right living" that are usually based on our own personal preferences, have not drawn people closer to a relationship with God or a relationship with us.  In fact, it reinforces a terrible myth, that if you do the right things, God is pleased with you...and if you don't you are unacceptable.  Really, is that it...do right stuff and you are in?  Huh?  Whatever happened to grace...to mercy...to patience...to not keeping a record of wrongs...to kindness...to encouragement... to forgiveness...to being "saved by grace through faith, so that no one can boast".   We are "saved by faith, not works"...yet we present "lines in the sand" that declare "do the right stuff, according to my standard, and then you are welcome here".  How sad is that?  It must grieve the heart of God to see people hurt and pushed away by our "lines in the sand".  Fortunately, God's heart is a love that crashes in on the sandy beach and washes away any lines drawn...because its His righteousness, a gift...not things we manufacture, or demand and draw in the sand.  At FRIENDS we continually are learning to create room for Jesus love to transform lives...in a place where everyone is welcome, as they are...rough edges and messiness in tow.  Because we know that by accepting people with the open arms of Jesus, a relationship with God may begin, and then God will lovingly and patiently work out all the rest through His mercy and grace.  Our prayer @ FRIENDS is to not get in the way...

be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas