A Christian friend of mine recently confessed on her Facebook page that she wouldn't be caught dead at Wal-Mart and then went on to make fun of the people that shopped there.
That was bad.
What was "badder" was that several people commented, making further disparaging comments about the people that shop at Wal-Mart.
Their comments really hit me wrong.
I think I know why. I can see myself making the same comments. Okay, maybe not the same comments, but I certainly think them.
I have Christian friends who talk about the "ghetto Target" or the "poor people's Krogers" and they talk about how they would "never" go to "those kinds of places." "Those are dirty places filled with dirty, rude people."
Then I think about the times that I prayed at the "fancy restaurant" and then was rude to the waitstaff.
I have Christian friends who would "never ride the bus" because all of the homeless, poor people who ride the bus. I hear, "I'm scared of those people. I can't stand to be around them. I can smell them before they even get close."
Then I think of times that I have ignored people I don't know and avoid people who are different from me.
As I write this post, I'm having a hard time defining who I am writing this to.
I want to say something to my Christian friends about their behavior.
I want to tell them that Jesus would never act like that.
But I can't say those things.
I have no right.
I'm just as guilty, IF NOT MORE.
LORD, forgive me.
Help me to be more like Jesus.
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
That was bad.
What was "badder" was that several people commented, making further disparaging comments about the people that shop at Wal-Mart.
Their comments really hit me wrong.
I think I know why. I can see myself making the same comments. Okay, maybe not the same comments, but I certainly think them.
I have Christian friends who talk about the "ghetto Target" or the "poor people's Krogers" and they talk about how they would "never" go to "those kinds of places." "Those are dirty places filled with dirty, rude people."
Then I think about the times that I prayed at the "fancy restaurant" and then was rude to the waitstaff.
I have Christian friends who would "never ride the bus" because all of the homeless, poor people who ride the bus. I hear, "I'm scared of those people. I can't stand to be around them. I can smell them before they even get close."
Then I think of times that I have ignored people I don't know and avoid people who are different from me.
As I write this post, I'm having a hard time defining who I am writing this to.
I want to say something to my Christian friends about their behavior.
I want to tell them that Jesus would never act like that.
But I can't say those things.
I have no right.
I'm just as guilty, IF NOT MORE.
LORD, forgive me.
Help me to be more like Jesus.
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
