Is that Oncoming Light a Train?

I am the mother of four children.  I have had some pretty scary moments.  Like the time the little kids decided to run in Wal-Mart’s parking lot without asking first, and someone was backing out . . . right before Christmas this year.

I’m serious.  There have been some times when I just knew that my children were headed for doom.  Their guardian angels must be some fantastic flyers.  Or maybe it’s just because God knows that in their little wayward hearts that they would sometimes rather do whatever they want than what they know they should.  Kinda like me.

Never consider when I make that statement that I am being falsely modest.  I don’t really do that.  My heart is wayward.  The hymn-writer said it best, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it.”  Yes, indeed.

Here’s a parenting question for you.  If you saw that your child was running into oncoming traffic would you try to stop it?  I get it that you think that is a dumb question.  Of course you would.

I wonder, though, if your neighbor saw it and you didn’t, would you consider them judgmental when they tried to stop it?  Would you yell at them and tell them that it isn’t their job to correct your children?

There is one thing I am certain of.  I am certain that if my children ever did run in front of a car and get hit by it, they would be sincerely sorry.  They tell me so every time there is the threat of it.  While I am having a coronary, they are saying how very sorry they are.  Unfortunately, they could also be dead or on life support.  Not every mother’s dream.  I can’t undo the consequences of their actions any more than I could shoot myself to the moon without a rocket.

It is disturbing that in America, our favorite verse of the Bible used to be John 3:16.  You know the one:  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Now, however, America’s favorite verse is “Judge not, lest you be judged.”

I am unsure how the definition of the word “judged” changed somehow.  To me, judgment includes giving a sentence and putting someone in jail for their actions or writing them off as unredeemable somehow.  Warning someone, or being concerned for his or her wellbeing is not judgment. 

See, back in 1828 when Webster published the dictionary, the verb form of “judge” meant “To compare facts or ideas, and perceive their agreement or disagreement, and thus to distinguish truth from falsehood” - in other words, seeing something wrong and making an agreement or disagreement through careful comparison in regards to TRUTH.  Today, if you look it up you get some nonsense about deciding whether or not something is good or bad.  (1828 was the oldest online dictionary I could find.)

The way I see it, the Bible is pretty clear about what is wrong or right, and it is not up to me to make that decision.  First there were 10 good rules, and then there were two basic ones when Jesus came along.  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.”  Simple.  Keeping these 2 simple laws help us keep the 10 good rules fairly easily.  If you love the Lord your God the way you should, the first few fall into place nicely, and if you love your neighbor as yourself, the last ones do as well.  I get that it's not really that simple.  I do, after all, live on earth, too!

Here’s the thing.  Living the Christian life together means that when I see you standing on the railroad tracks in the way of an oncoming train that I won’t just let you stand there and get smashed.  Instead, with all of the love that I can muster in my heart, I will shout a warning to you that keeps you from certain death.  This is my way of protecting you, not judging you.  I haven't decided in my heart that your sin is wrong.  God did that for me.  I am just standing on the watchtower, hoping the evil one does not overtake the city.

And while we are at it, could you do me a favor?  If you see me standing in the way of an oncoming train of sin in my life, would you just do the right thing and tell me so?  This is not what I want my legacy to be in life, in death, or in eternity – dead by the train tracks - tragic, really, when it could have been prevented.  Instead, if you are prayed up and are genuinely concerned for my soul, would you just go ahead and “judge” me?  I don’t always get it right, and I might need that correction.  Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated.