Accordingly - Ezekiel 7:27

Ezekiel 7:27 According to their way I will deal with them; according to their own judgments, I will judge them. (NRSV)

What a shocking thing it is to realize that God will judge us just as we judge other people. In a culture where Facebook is used to air our grievances, provoke arguments, and battle with our neighbors, what a terrible thing it should be to know that God will treat us exactly the same way we treat others.

Facebook was meant to be a great tool of the new enlightened age; instead, it has become a platform to heighten hostility, spread falsehood, and promote prejudice, especially against the poor, the needy, the powerless, and the alien – all of whom deserve our patience, support, and love according to both the Old and New Testaments.

Sadly, there is a disdainful type of Christianity that is creeping across the internet and permeating our society through the instant channels of social media. Instead of being hailed as people of the Book whose compassion and love make people wonder who are these Christians, we take great delight in nailing each other to our communication crosses in order to impress like-minded Pharisees and skewer the opposition. And even after the damage is done, our compassion is gone, and our self-righteous stinger has made its poisonous impact, we still have this problem with God: He will judge us by our own standards; He will treat us according to our own words and ways.

All of this should make us seriously ponder about those who lead us whether it be religiously, politically, socially, or even leisurely. If we follow those who are constantly berating others or belittling them, then we are tarred with the same brush in God’s eyes. If we choose to excuse bad behavior from those that we should expect more, then we are in danger of becoming both leaderless and rudderless. And if we capitulate our ‘Christianity’ for something or someone that is obviously unchristian, then we are definitely going down the wrong path. As the Apostle John once wrote of the same kind of deluded Christians in his time:

1 John 2:9 Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. (NRSV)

And if you think that I’m excusing myself from this issue, then think again. I have done my fair share of name-calling, post-trolling, and stone-walling on Facebook, too, so when I read God’s Word for today, it hit me clearly between the eyes also. Being a Christian is never easy; being self-righteous always is.

Application: Am I guilty of disdaining others because they think, act, or look differently from me? Do I understand that God judges me according to how I judge others? Am I willing to repent, so I can repair and renew my faith in Christ? Am I really a Christian?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are not just meant to follow You; we are supposed to witness on Your behalf. We can ask to be forgiven of our prejudices and pride, but with that gift of forgiveness, we are meant to change our ways. Teach us the gravity of knowing that God will treat us exactly as we treat others. Keep us from deluding ourselves or being misdirected. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship at 11:00 AM on Sundays. You will be made very welcome😊

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Lent Maker.” If you would like to view a larger version, click this link: Lentmaker.

Wise Ways - Proverbs 9:7-8

Proverbs 9:7-8 Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. (NIV)

We live in a dark age where brazen people publicly mock others and unabashed folks hurl abuse at anyone who crosses them. It’s been going on for a long time, but in recent years the emergence of social media like Facebook and Twitter has spawned massive amounts of intolerance, ignorance, and hatred on a scale that we’ve never seen before. Millions of people are being misled into thinking that to be strong and successful, they have to be strident and forceful. They follow the shameless example of their heroes, celebrities, sports stars, and leaders. Sadly, even faithful Christians and good church folks fall under the influence of such charmers, charlatans, and dubious characters. Instead of filtering our ideas and beliefs through Christ, we end up allying ourselves to false ideals and idolize the loudest insulters in our society.

As Christians, we are called to follow Christ and embrace His wisdom in our lives. If we are no different – which is what the word ‘holy’ means - from the rest of the world, then we have failed to be true disciples. If we jeer at our opposites and cheer when our ‘heroes’ kick them as they’re down, then we’ve forgotten who Jesus is and what He fully expects of us. His teachings of ‘turning the other cheek’ and ‘loving our enemies’ are not pious metaphors; they are spiritual commandments which are meant to differentiate us from manipulators and mobs, fearmongers and falsehoods.

In today’s highlighted verse from the Book of Proverbs, we are given great guidance and wisdom which we can actually embrace and practice in our lives. If we hate being criticized for mocking others then we are the saddest fools in Christendom; however, if we humbly receive godly rebukes, then we display spiritual maturity and great wisdom, making us effective witnesses to Christ’s forgiveness, grace, and love.

Point to ponder

Am I guilty of following celebrities and crowds instead of Christ? Am I willing to receive His critical teaching and apply His gracious ways to others?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive our arrogance, especially when it blocks or blinds us to Your merciful ways and loving teaching. Rid us of our self-deceit and open our eyes to Your understanding. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s new Holy Week drawings. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: HolyWeek.

2010 Devotions: Leaving Our Nets - Mark 1 v 18

Mark 1:18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

When I was a pastor in Scotland, I loved working with the local fishermen. They were a hardy breed of manly men. They were coarse and rustic, weather beaten and strong. Each week they put their lives at risk looking for a bounty of fish. They worked long hours and in conditions that were sometimes terrifying. Whenever there was a storm at sea in the middle of the week, I used to pray constantly for their safety. On Friday afternoons, I gave thanks to God when I watched the fleet of fishing trawlers return home.

The faith of these fishermen was amazing to experience. Because they put their lives on the line week after week, they had a stronger connection to God than most everyday folk. I guess when you face death each day, then you find God a lot more closer to you. Whenever the church needed help or support, the fisherman families were amongst the first to volunteer. They were the heart and soul of the parish church and, throughout the years that I spent with them, I came to admire and respect their fearless faith and total commitment to God.

I think I can understand why Peter and Andrew, James and John left their nets to go and follow Jesus immediately. Fishermen are ‘all or nothing’ kind of people. Being timid or half-hearted just isn’t a part of their personality. It takes a great deal of courage to be a fisherman and they boldly go where angels fear to tread water. I think Jesus knew this when He asked the Galilean fishermen to follow Him. If they joined His team, then they would give their hearts and minds, souls and strength to His ministry and mission. There would be no half-measures and there would be no holding them back.

We are all called to become disciples of Christ, but sometimes we let other things get in the way. Instead of leaving our nets behind and walking on with Jesus, we keep a hold of them and drag them with us. Christ needs us to let go of the past, so that we can let Him lead us on to a more faithful future. If we truly want to serve Him, then it’s all or nothing.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, You called fishermen to Your ministry because You knew that through their commitment You would be able to build the Church. Thank You for choosing them and for selecting us. Help us to give You our all, so that You may become everything to us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.