Just Like Jesus

1Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. 5One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
Romans 14: 1 - 5 NKJV

I'm usually one that's prone to be caught up in drama in the workplace.  My philosophy tends to be, do my thing and go home.  I let others dabble in the caldron of workplace politics...usually.  Today was different, for today it was one of our own who fell victim to his own bad decisions.  It is now up to those of a higher pay grade than myself to decide whether he loses his job or not.  Of course, that didn't stop others today from weighing in with their own opinions as to what they feel should be done with the guilty individual.  Anyone who has ever been around the workplace will know what I'm refering to.  Usually, rumors have a habit of moving faster than a jet fighter.  In fact, no sooner had I checked in this morning when a coworker sent me a text titled..."Dude....did you hear what happened?"  I'm guessing that should have been my first clue as to what was to come.  As far as this young man was concerned, he'd already been tried, found guilty and condemned even before a court date was set.  Which is a sad thing.  Somewhere between my first coffee and my first break of the morning I recalled something another coworker had told me last week.  As luck would have it, we were both discussing the same unfortunate kid.  My coworker said something that spoke to me..."Scotty, everybody has a story."  Indeed we do.  In Romans 14, the apostle Paul warns us of the dangers of judging others.  Who are we to judge another, for God is able to make him stand...well said.  So it is that we all too often get carried away in the flight of rumors before we know the entire story...and everybody has a story.  Indeed, there are things in my own story which could, and have, brought condemnation from others.  God is able to make me stand!  As I myself have a story, so it is with those around me.  And yes, God is bale to make them stand as well.  Whatever the storyline of the young man in question, God is able to make him stand.

Sophia: "If you are able to judge God so easily, you certainly can judge the world.  You must choose two of your children to spend eternity in Gods new heavens and new earth...and you must choose three of your children to spend eternity in hell.  I am only asking you to do something that you believe God does.  He knows every person ever conceived, and He knows them so much more deeply and clearly than you will ever know your own children...you believe that He will condemn most to a eternity of torment, away from His presence and apart from His love."

Mack: "I don't want to be the judge...I can't do this"

Sophia: "You suppose then that God does this so easily...but you cannot?"

Mack: "I can't, I can't...could I go instead?...I'll go in their place...could I do that?  Please let me go for my children...I am begging you.  Please...please.."

Sophia: "Now you sound just like Jesus...that is how Jesus loves."
~William Paul Young The Shack~

It was a powerful scene from the movie The Shack.  Mack, the grieving father had, as a result of the tragic death of his daughter, had taken to placing the blame for her death...on God.  Now, his rush to judgment was coming full circle.  His companion was now asking him, requiring him, to choose just which of his children would spend eternity in heaven or suffer in hell.  When faced with such a choice, Mack couldn't follow through.  This...is how Jesus loves.  We all have a story, that is true.  However, it is Jesus who loved us enough to see past our own sin nature to save us {Romans 5:8}.  It is by Christ becoming sin on our behalf that our own stories no longer contain condemnation {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  Are we so quick to seek the judgement of God that we have somehow forgotten our own story?  It is indeed good that our heavenly Father uses not the same scale of justice for us as we ourselves use for others.  We all have a story.  Me, my coworker, my neighbor.  It is God who is able to make all men stand.

1“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7: 1 - 5 NKJV

~Scott~