Let us not judge one another according to the flesh

Who are you? I mean deep down inside, who are you? Are you a good person, a pretty good person or a creep? Are you honest, deceived or “normal”? Are you real or is what others see just an act?

If there is one thing I strive to be in this life it is to be real. What someone sees in me is what they get; good, bad or otherwise. For many years I have refused to be anything other than who I am. I will not put on a mask and pretend to be someone I am not or do things that make me appear to be someone I can never be. In other words, I reject the idea of being a hypocrite.

We are surrounded by people who put their arms upon your shoulder before stabbing you in the back. We are surrounded by people who appear to have their lives together but in reality they are falling apart. We are surrounded by people who say they’ll do anything for us but never so much as pray for us.

I don’t wear nice clothes. I don’t drive a nice car. I don’t “put on airs” to impress others. I don’t pretend I am anything other than who I am and I don’t try to do things I am incapable of doing.

Years ago I was denied access to a church because my attire was not up their standards. Years ago I was told that unless I got an advanced college degree I could no longer serve or teach in the ministry. Years ago I was told I was too fat, ugly and imperfect to be a Christian leader. Years ago I was told I was being sent out to pasture because of all these things.

Isn’t it interesting how even if I lost 50 pounds, when back to school and got that degree, got plastic surgery etc; I would still be rejected because I am too old. Because of these things and more, I refuse to live my life trying to please or impress others. I will do whatever God tells me to do in my life FOR HIM, but I refuse to become a “men pleaser”.

In my books it is cruel and unusual punishment to judge another Christian by their outward appearance. In my books it is totally opposite to God’s Word to look only upon the outside façade of a person instead of what lies in their heart. There is a good reason why Jesus took ministered to so many people rejected by others because of their sins, appearance or past.

I believe that if Christians spent far less time judging others by fleshly standards of perfection and instead looked through the eyes of Christ at the heart of another, there would be a great revival of love and compassion. God does not judge us by how we look but rather by what is in our hearts. I pray we do the same.