Sunday Message: Not perfect, but working on it

If you judge Christianity solely based on MOST social media, I can see where those who oppose it politically get their perception of it.  So much 'debate' carries far from where Jesus stood in the way we treat each other;  old grudges work in, misinterpretations, things you'd swear are in the Word and actually aren't.  And because Christians are supposed to live the Christian life, any debate we get into- religious, political, whatever- gets judged on how close we come to "the standard" put before us, the standard by which, if we dare step a toe over, we magically become "hypocrites'.

Here is where I am expected to put up the "Not perfect, just forgiven" banner.  That is not what I'm going to do, because there IS a standard, it ISN'T magic, and we can't keep bashing each other and hiding behind that.


What brought this up was an innocent comment on a Time Machine post, of all things- not because of the comment itself, but because it reminded of a previous situation involving the subject.  I don't want to dredge up the whole thing, but because it was NOT handled at all correctly in the past, a lot of feelings got hurt.  And I didn't want to handle it that way again.  Invoking the "First Peter Rule", I went to the Lord first, and asked Him how He would have me handle it- if at all.  And in my Proverbs chapter for the day, I hit this:

Pro 16:7  When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 

In other words, I had to give an answer that kept the peace, but didn't deny the reason.  And how is that accomplished?  I noted that there were some clues throughout the rest of the chapter:

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 

 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right. 

 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. 

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 

Arrogance, pride, and the idea of 'my way or the highway' have to get tossed overboard; thoughtfulness, persuasiveness, and righteousness have to be brought aboard.  Not being perfected is no defense, if you aren't WORKING towards perfecting.

Hopefully, I accomplished that in my response.  Hopefully, I will accomplish that in all further responses.