That Smelly Guy
James 2:1-4 My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t treat some people better than others. Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, “Sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person, “Stand there!” or “Sit on the floor by our feet!” Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges—judges who make bad decisions.
Some things in life are pretty cut and dried. There’s right over here and wrong over there and ne’er the twain shall meet. But other things… well, sometimes it’s just not that simple … or is it?
Have you ever gone to church and that smelly, homeless guy wanders in and sits in the row in front of you? I mean, he really stinks. What do you do? Are you going to sit behind him for the whole service? Should you move? I’ve even seen churches where that smelly guy is asked to move down the back where he can’t offend anyone.
It ain’t easy, is it? On the one hand, you want to do “the Christian thing”, but on the other, he stinks to high heaven!
James 2:1-4 My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t treat some people better than others. Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, “Sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person, “Stand there!” or “Sit on the floor by our feet!” Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges—judges who make bad decisions.
The Jesus I know chose to be a Jew, one of the most persecuted races in all history. The Jesus I know chose to hang out, more often than not, with people much more like that smelly guy than the one who comes to church and seems to have it all together.
God loves that smelly guy more than words can ever say. Don’t make bad decisions.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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WILLIAM QUINION
GOD DIDN’T PLACE PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET TO BE JUDGED BY US,RIGHT??? ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,THAT WOULD BE THE DUTY ...
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GOD DIDN’T PLACE PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET TO BE JUDGED BY US,RIGHT??? ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,THAT WOULD BE THE DUTY OF JESUS WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE THE ALMIGHTY,RIGHT??? SO ( WHY ) DO SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE THE ( RIGHT ) TO PASS JUDGEMENT ON THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS,??? THE LESSON OF JESUS WITH THE ADULTERESS,( ” LET HE AMONG YOU THAT IS WITHOUT SIN BE THE { FIRST } TO CAST THE STONE,” RIGHT???