As Yourself

Written a couple of months ago, but I don't think I ever posted it anywhere.
***

We have a tendency to mock those who are different than us.

Even we Christians, we Christ-followers, we who label ourselves with the very name of God, we reject people. We point to people who live in sin and smirk that we are better than them.

But this is exactly like the hypocrites and Pharisees - a holier-than-thou mentality which makes us just as messed up as them. What should our response really be?

We don't see the whole picture, you know.

We see the girl with too-short shorts and a too-small blouse and label her immodest, slutty, a hooker. But we don't even consider her background - a father who rejected her, years of loneliness spent trying to find solace in boy after boy who were unable to fill the void in her heart, who wears these to attract eyes and to mask the insecurity that she won't even admit to herself.

We see the loudmouth boy who likes to say shocking things for attention, and we label him a hopeless rebel. But we couldn't understand how scared he is of being ignored because his family doesn't love him, and all his stunts for attention are just because to him, being in trouble is better than being ignored.

We see the teen throwing his life away with drugs and alcohol and simply pass him by. But we don't care that his heart aches from the abuse of life and that he's drowning himself in a vain attempt to dull the pain.

We judge despite explicit instructions not to. We label, perhaps in the face of our own insecurities. We build ourselves up by tearing others down.

But what are we commanded? What would Jesus say to the lost and broken outcasts of society? All Jesus did was love them. That was all he needed to do. Love - love gently bandaged the wounds and started brokenness on the road to healing, because love was the one thing they truly lacked. There's an empty, aching void in the chest of every person which will never fill no matter how many relationships, drinks, drugs, stunts, friends, pills, clothes, or thrills we try to clam in there. Only love can fill it. Only God can restore. Only God can heal.

So love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Put the stones down and quit judging and open your arms and love somebody. Be the light they're looking for. Be the hands and feet of Christ. Be the love that will finally heal their heart.