Acts 5.28-29 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know
how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another
nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or
unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why
you sent for me.”
Three weeks ago a man came to our church gathering and
spoke about reaching out to others, saying: Don’t
judge others, get to know their story.
Judgment is so misunderstood in our culture. We’re told
not to judge (i.e. don’t make assessments about other) people, but we do it all
the time. We pick and choose who we’re going to hang with or like because of
what they look like, what they say, how they act; what they believe. I think
when we’re told not to judge what we’re really being told is: pretend not to judge and just don’t get caught.
I have caught myself “assessing” people this week. I have
caught myself making judgments on folk because of what they look like, what they say, how they act; what they believe.
And today I read about an ancient Jew who was very good at judging – or calling
unclean what God had called clean. In Joppa on the roof that day, Peter
experienced a massive paradigm shift that caused him to go to Caesarea and go
into the house of a Roman and preach the gospel. Something big had happened.
Peter was troubled at his call to go to Caesarea. Peter
was troubled that Gentiles came to summon him to Caesarea. Peter troubled about
what it all meant. But once Peter heard the story, things changed dramatically:
Oh! God told you to call for me!
Like Peter, I have lived as one who follows a set of
protocols when it comes to dealing with others. The problem is, the older I get
the worser it has become. But God
seems to be telling me: Don’t judge
others, get to know their story. There
is a greater calling upon my life than making assessments. It requires time
and courage to get to know others and learn their story.
I’ve caught myself selfishly thinking: let them stew in their own juices. God
seems to want them free from their “juices” and God knows the troubles in their
lives and wants them to be free from what holds them back from their getting to
know Him. And God has called His children to be those who’ll take the time to
courageously get to know them and their stories and tell them of a Savior –
just like Peter did all those years ago. Peter couldn’t do it by writing them
off as “unclean”; nor can we if they don’t meet our standards of who is
acceptable and who isn’t.
Father, it’s all about Your presence in the lives of
others. They mostly don’t know about You but there is a need for courageous
ones to come along and learn their story and pray knowledgeably and see the
miracle of the Holy Spirit falling on them and setting them free from their
past, their problems, and their people. Today Lord, help me help them. You have
no partiality because anyone who fears You
and does what is right is acceptable to You. Lord who am I to make
assessments? Lead me into the lives of others I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
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