Moment of Truth!
There is a new TV show called "Moment of Truth" where the contestants are rewarded only if they tell the brutal truth when asked some potentially very damaging questions about their lives. It’s amazing how money can motivate we humans to hurt ourselves and others.
As I thought about this show and listened as people in the audience seemed so surprised at some of the deep dark secrets being told by the contestants it reminded how ingrained it is in all of us to judge others that seem less moral then we are. Yes, any of us can find someone who is less moral then we are but do we really think there isn’t someone out there who is more moral then us? What if the whole world around you knew your deepest and darkest secrets? It would be quite humbling for any of us wouldn’t it? I suspect if you were put into that position that it would change the way you judge others wouldn’t it?
I guess that’s one of the main issues I have with organized religion. People in organized religion want to decide who God will accept and who He will reject based on the standard of morality. I don’t have a problem with any group of people who are encouraging each other to live the best lives possible but each of our lives are are so different and it is impossible for any of us to really know who is living their best life possible. Let me give you an example of what I am trying to say:
My wife Nancy is always telling me what a wonderful, beautiful, kind, and loving person I am. At least in her eyes I can do no wrong. When I tell her I feel the same way about her she always rejects it and puts herself down. Now here’s the thing, I know my wife better then any person who is now living except for God and what I know is that if you knew all that she had been through from the time she was a small child you would realize that her growth as a human being is far greater then mine.
Now back to my issue with organized religion: Organized religion sets up a specific moral standard that everyone involved knows is required to be considered a part of the "FAITHFUL". If people don’t live up to that standard they are looked upon with suspect. It doesn’t matter that they may have a story that if you could know every detail of their life you would be choked up with pride for how well they actually did under the hand they were dealt.
I love the way my wife looks at me and feels about me but I will never allow that to make me think I’m good enough to judge others or to think I am any better then she is. I have learned not to be sucked into false righteousness. God knows my story and I would never want to answer some of the questions He could ask of me in front of the whole world.
The reality check that I am talking about here is the very reason why God needed to show us a grace so bold that once we truly accepted it we could never again condemn another person for anything, even unbelief. Once you truly understand Bold Grace like this you can’t even judge yourself and that’s where this great peace comes in.
We often talk about being Perfect here at Bold Grace, but we not talking about an earned perfection. We are talking about a God who sees a perfection in each of us that we can’t see because HE knows every single detail of our lives and how those details led us down the paths we each have taken.
My path compared to my wife’s path was much easier, so how could I dare claim to be a better person then her? Unfortunately organized religion is full of people who do dare to claim a higher moral life, that is until their own "MOMENT OF TRUTH" comes to the surface.
Are there humble, non-judgmental people in organized religion? I’m sure there are, but I would not say that is the norm. In fact I would say it is rare to truly find such a person because they are constantly being bombarded with a message of judgment and condemnation of folks who aren’t living like the organization says they aught to be.
Someone will undoubtedly say that I am judging and condemning people in organized religion. I must answer that by defining what I mean above when I talk about people who are judging others whom they think is less moral then they are. When they judge people they are making a distinction about who God will accept and who He will reject based on the moral standard they have been taught. When I make judgments about them I still fully believe God accepts them because He knows their entire story and their individual paths. I never condemn the person regardless of how much I may hate their message, but I will condemn the message of anyone who thinks they are somehow more acceptable to God because of some formula of morality they have followed.
If we would each in the quiet of the night face our own "MOMENT OF TRUTH" I am convinced we would get up the next morning with a much kinder attitude toward all of God’s beautiful children.
Peace to All Who Will Understand.
What an perfect post for July 4th - Independence Day!
Thanks Cliff! And give Nancy and all of the family in Richmond a Big Freedom HUG for us today!
Peace
Geo
Reminds me of a Q&A letter series by C.S. Lewis. One guy asked C.S. Lewis how some people could call themselves Christians while they were so cantankerous and mean.
Lewis replied, “You have no idea how much more cantankerous that person may have been before God worked in them! What you see in them today might actually be dramatic progress.”
Jesus, in the hours before his death, prayed that we would be one. Anything which detracts from that oneness is a slap in his face. When there are people who resist the idea that we are one, who hold grudges or prejudices or self-righteous attitudes, then the Spirit is quenched and the face of Christ is disfigured in the world. As you said, Cliff, when we examine ourselves and face our own “moment of truth,” it is sure to make us more open and loving to our fellow humans, wherever we may find them. That is when we come to know what real freedom is all about.
Happy Independence Day to all of you! May you have a day of glorious celebration with the people who are near and dear to you!
Wonderful comments on this day of Freedom’s celebration and I too wish only the best for all of God’s glorious creatures and their individual journeys of learning to be what they were created for.
I am loving the theme of this, part of the Christ experience is one that calls us all into equality and oneness, even with the less desirables of this world, especially so.This isn’t a judgment call, its just there are some nasty acting people on this planet to say the least, could grace be so bold that these less desirables become the more desirables? I think so.
When the love in our hearts overwhelms our tendencies to be critical and judgmental I feel we have entered in and are participating in the kingdom Jesus called God.
We know ourselves and part of this grace expression must include this, not just knowing, but embracing the limits of our humanity, accepting self for who self is, for who self was and is becoming.
amen, thanks Cliff for a very thoughtful posting,
Marco
You are so welcome Marco and I really appreciate your added insights into this very bold grace that God is inviting us all to embrace and live by. I by no means feel as if I understand it all but I think I understand enough to feel the peace that Christ spoke of.
Great post - I love it!
“When I make judgments about them I still fully believe God accepts them because He knows their entire story and their individual paths.” (Cliff)
I agree 100%. I think that is the problem with some church folk - they are making some fairly mean judgments about the person and not about ideas anymore…in a weird sense…they play God?
I tend to think as you do here - God loves us all and that doesn’t change from Adam to Steve. God is accepting of them all - and this is something we also need to show others around us - they are worth a lot. It is something I strive to do for others for all the years of my life - to let people know they are valued. This lacks in church focus - I think your critique is right on the money in this sense.
I find the church wants to fight over the dumbest things - like the worth of a human being - usually that goes down the path of God ‘disliking’ us so much…maybe the real good news in that scenario is - God likes us so much. At least, that’s what I try to do for others - if I am worth something to God - I figure all are.
SocietyVs said: “maybe the real good news in that scenario is - God likes us so much.”
I truly believe He does like us that much but because of our own warped view of who we are we just can’t see it and that’s where bold grace can come into our lives and give us a clearer vision.
Thanks for a great comment SocietyVs!!!!
Iloved this one, Cliff. Thanks for reminding us.
Thanks Don R
Cliff, when you mention in response to a question about judging, you simply state ” When I make judgments about them I still fully believe God accepts them because He knows their entire story and their individual paths” That just seems to perfectly put the whole issue into a nutshell. Only God knows. It’s like being a child and just KNOWING that your parents will always do what is right for you. That beautiful simplicity. That peace of knowing that all is right in your own world.
Thanks so much for sharing. Peace, Julie
You are so right Julie. I think sometimes our greatest challenge as adults comes from the desire to know but the reality is in our limited state of being we can never know enough to judge someone else. I think my greatest peace came from giving up and truly letting God be God.