A few weeks back, I read a blog post that’s stuck with me. It was entitled, oh, you’re a Christian? You can read it by clicking here. Basically its the story of two folks talking and one realizing that the other is a Christian, and being surprised by that.

Why were they surprised?

They said, you don’t seem judgmental enough.

That’s stuck with me a lot since I read it. I’ve referenced it in several sermons and teaching moments. It has really bothered me. Why?

How have we, as the followers of the One that is love, is mercy, is grace, how have we gone from being defined that mercy and grace, to being defined as being too judgmental.

Listen to what Jesus does today in Mark 2:15-17:

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Word says that He ate with sinners and tax collectors. Those that were seen as less than, or not as good, not as holy, not as righteous. He ate with them. He loved them. He came for them.

He came for sinners.

Jesus Christ came for sinners. Of which I am the chief one.

We have got to be more graceful. How do we do that? Be remembering that we too are sinners that Jesus came to eat with. We too are sinners that Jesus came to save. We are not perfect. We are not superior.

We have to remember who we are. Remember how Jesus has loved us. And as saved us.

And love others in that way.

Today, may we seek to be like our savior. May we see to love everyone as He did. And may we seek to point others to His love and grace.

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