A Leap Off That Bridge

 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. 6He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; aand he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Romans 14: 4 - 10 NKJV

I learned a long time ago that I, Scott, am not like the others around me.  I am unique.  I am individual.  I am Scott.  However, if you listen to others out there tell it, I should be doing something more.  Apparently, I should be doing those things which THEY desire me to be doing instead of doing what it is the Lord has placed upon my heart.  This tug of war for our efforts is not a new one, but just a continuation of what we all face from time to time.  Indeed there are those among us who sincerely feel that we should be doing what they want us to be doing.  Don't get me wrong, what they are asking of me may be sound, true and God inspired, but I probably just haven't recieved that leading yet.  Unlike Hillary Clinton, God does not delete His messages He gives us.  There is a ages old saying that if someone jumped off of a bridge, would you follow him?  Fortunately for me, you couldn't talk me into following you off of any bridge.  I don't think that way.  Now, you can suggest to me that I do something you'd like me to see me accomplish, but that old compulsion card will very seldom work too well with me.  It seems that I'm not alone in feeling this way.  For the apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14 not to judge others by the traditions of man.  I have all too often refered to this as the shame game, and the modern institutional church is a master of manipulation.  For through its own traditions, the church has given to many its requirements for entry into our Lords love and grace.

1Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’seat. 3“Therefore whatever they tell you ato observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4“For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5“But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6“They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7“greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’8“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10“And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11“But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12“And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
Matthew 23: 1 - 13 NKJV

Why was it that Christ Jesus spoke His woes to the Jewish Pharisees?  These were the religious leaders of the Jewish people, of which Jesus was one.  I believe that the very reason that Jesus spoke against these self proclaimed men of God was that they had indeed placed the traditions of their faith above God Himself.  Take a look at this passage and see for yourself.  These Pharisees were men who desired the best seats, formal greetings and all the trappings of prestige that their positions offered them.  Does anyone see a correlation here between these Jewish leaders and the modern church?  I don't think it's too hard to see.  Now, although I have never done it, I have many a time been tempted to call out a pastor when they would start talking their blah blah blah of tradition.  You say you want me to give until it hurts?  Well, you try it first then tell me how it worked out for you.  For myself, I feel that it is hypocracy in its highest form for someone to ask of me something that they themselves would never do.  I'm sorry, but if you jumped off of that bridge I wouldn't follow you!  But, that's just me.  I don't place myself above God, and I don't ask something of others that I myself wouldn't do.  I am not against traditions per se, only when we use our traditions to put restrictions upon those around us.  It is not by tradition that our heavenly Father loved us enough to save His children from the weight of our sin.  It is not through compulsion that the Spirit of Christ Jesus lives on through us today {Galations 2:20}.  Those chains of tradition and compulsion have been broken by the love of God.

"Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life.  Never spare yourself and let your troops see that you don't in your endurance of fatigue and privation.  Always be tactful and well-mannered.  Avoid excessive harshness or sharpness of voice, which usually indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide."
~Erwin Rommel~