Would Jesus Really Do That?

I am always disgusted when I see someone who really doesn’t care about Christianity but think they can tell Christians what to do by quoting (out of context) an idea in Scripture. Then there are those that claim to be Christian, but their lives and language tell a different story. The worst is the so called Christian that wants to tell Christians what they should believe when they neither worship God, nor even know what Jesus really did. I ran across the following quote, “If you really wanna be like Jesus: Be the one that stays when everyone walks away. Be the one who forgives even when it’s undeserved. Be the one to show grace when everyone else is casting stones. Be the one to show love even when they betray you. Because that’s who Jesus is!” If being a Christian seems comfortable to you, either you have completely surrounded yourself with believers or you are not truly living out their Christian faith. If you are so isolated from the world, how can you carry out the great commission to go into the world... personally, financially, or in prayer? Are you lifting, in prayer, those that have been called to go out into the world? If you are not living in a “monastery”, then there should be a multitude of opportunities to serve God and share the good news. Will everyone accept what you say and do? I can almost guarantee that if you are boldly living out your faith, there will be opposition. When’s the last time you saw someone being picked on or treated badly and just watched, or worse yet, walked away? When is the last time someone said or did something that “wounded” you... maybe even a family member, and you offered forgiveness? What about showing love and grace to those that have made unwise choices in life? Are we about building others up or tearing them down? So, the next time someone uses a Bible quote to get you to do what they want, first, humble yourself and check if the passage is being used correctly. If it is not used correctly, ask them if they will look at that passage with you to see the context and meaning. As believers, we need to be careful what we are saying in light of God’s word. Am I cursing, swearing, or using God’s name in vain? Am I living God’s word every day of my life. Father, I don’t mean to indicate that any of us can be perfect, but help us to be faithful in doing what Jesus would do. Amen