If there's one gift of any of real worth that I feel that I can offer this Christmas, perhaps it's an understanding of an example the Lord has brought to bear in our own lives. Something that all of Christs' Church needs to remember in dealing with one another. It has to do with grace and the understanding that our Gods' undeserved grace is an example to us, that we who follow Christ bear the responsibility to follow by our claim. At it's core, it's the truth of what we're truly celebrating in Christmas and it may serve to remind us of our responsibility to follow the leading example of our Gods' own precious heart toward us.
Let it stand to be said that in every life and in every family, even Gods' family, there are moments and occasions when we could stand in righteous judgment of another. There are then moments when we could stand by and watch someone else suffer the righteous consequences of decisions or actions that we don't agree with. Moments when "it would serve them right". But we all make mistakes, there's not one of us perfect.
In those moments when we're tempted to stand in righteous judgment of those who make choices, let it be said that we should never forget that we judge ourselves at the same time. I do think there are times when we should suffer the consequences of our own actions, it's how we learn. But it's not the only way we learn. Have we not yet learned the unmeasurable value of Christs' compassion? In truth, there is not one of us, not least of all myself, who has not been spared from receiving what we truly deserved in life. I admit that there are times when our judgment of another may be righteous. I don't dispute that. But then, so is Gods' judgment that we are all deserving of death without Christs' compassionate intervention. So there may be moments when we too need to be open to His Holy Spirit to be moved to have that same compassion for someone else when we could instead allow them to "get what they deserve".
We have all failed and stand deserving of Gods' righteous judgment and the consequences that follow. But in the early hours of Christmas morning, God Himself began His intervention for us, to spare us from what we righteously "deserved". His deep love and compassion for us, each and every one, moved Him to do something completely illogical and undeserved. Not only did He intervene, but He took our consequences upon Himself to suffer in our place. So I'm compelled to ask, are we truly Christian - followers of Christ and His example? Do any one of us stand blameless and righteous to declare that we're entitled to pass judgment on another, to see them receive what they deserve? There is only one blameless and righteous of His own accord and it's not any one of us.
I'm not aspiring to stand in judgment. I stand guilty of having had this attitude at times in my life. My comments are out of love and compassion, not as an act to convict, for I myself stand guilty. But my desire is to spare those who would hear from being made to suffer the consequences of being harshly judged by their own choice to stand in judgment without forgiving compassion. This in itself is a choice bearing potential lethal consequence without an act of our Gods' own loving, compassionate mercy to forgive. If we have withstood the harsh punishing judgment of others to suffer all of the consequences of our choices in life, it has never been true of our Lord or His example - one that we claim to follow and one that we are the eternal beneficiaries of. My loves, please, share the same illogical and undeserved true gift of Christmas that we celebrate with those around you in loving compassion and the joy of its' freedom from consequence!
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