Rebecca Opens Up!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says “Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth.  It ALWAYS protects, ALWAYS trusts, ALWAYS hopes, ALWAYS perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS.” (emphasis mine)

Judgment destroys love. How do I know? When I was 15 yrs. old, I had a family member tell me and my brother that we were going to hell because of the music we listened to. At the time, I listened to rock music and some hard rock. We argued back and said that it wasn’t about the music we listened to but about what was in our hearts, but still the judgment stood. We were going to hell if we didn’t turn from our devil music. As a troubled 15 yr. old, I equated this judgment with God’s love and if one of his people could honestly say that I was going to hell then I didn’t want any part of God or his son Jesus. For about 16 yrs anytime someone mentioned the name Jesus around me it was like acid in my stomach. You see, for 16 years, I couldn’t cuss him or praise him. I couldn’t say his name at all. Anytime one of my family members would tell me I NEEDED to be in church, I got physically ill and my stomach would tie up in knots and I would honestly feel like I was going to throw up.

When we judge one another, we destroy everything that God is trying to do in someone’s life. When you look at a kid and judge them based on how they look or what they listen to, you could be destroying them. We need to remember that we don’t know what is going on inside someone. We don’t know what they are going through privately. They could be dealing with a violent, alcoholic parent. They could be dealing with poverty and judgments from kids at school because they don’t have the right clothes. Maybe they are suicidal and the only thing that they are holding onto is the hope that someone will see past the way they look or what they are listening to and simply love them.  You see, it is speaks volumes look past the exterior and you reach out to them and accept them for who they are (good or bad) – just as God reached out and accepted you. We are called to build up and edify each other, not to judge one another.  We have to allow God’s voice of love and acceptance to be louder than the hurt, pain, rejection, and abandonment many feel. Satan is telling our kids and the hurting adults in this world that they don’t deserve love, that they aren’t good enough for love, that they will never be accepted by God because they have done too many things wrong – judgment and criticism are the tools that satan uses to continue to tear them down and drive them further and further from the God that loves them. Our judgment only reinforces the lies that satan is yelling in their ears.  Love conquers shame. Love conquers rejection. LOVE CONQUERS ALL. It’s not just any love, but the unconditional love of our heavenly Father that conquers fear, rejection, and solitude, and brings victory. We must allow ourselves to be the bearers of God’s love!

Jesus didn’t die on the cross for the ones who “have it all together”, but for the lost and hurting.  So don’t judge just love – because unconditional love saves lives!

Thank you Rebecca for sharing.