Every Tuesday and Thursday I go downtown and help out at a church in the inner-city of Charleston. The first thing we do is an hour of devotional where we are reading the Bible in a year and spend about 45 min praying for the city, state, country, the church , whatever God lays on our hearts. Then the last 15 mins or so we discuss what God brought to us in the passages that we read for the day.
Well currently we are in the area of Ezekiel 23, Isaiah 51, & Philipians 3. While I was reading Ezekiel, specifically 16 & 17, something came out to me.
Chapter 16 verses 49-58 says:
" 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
" 'However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the LORD."
Here Israel, God's chosen people, were more wicked, detestable in God's eyes than Sodom (the destroyed land) and Samaria (the land where people live that Jews refuse to touch them). God said in this passage that He was going to destroy all three but the disgrace was going to be on Israel. The guilt, the shame. Sodom didn't know what they were doing was wrong. Samaria had yet to learn. Israel had known from the start.
What am I saying in this? Sometimes we look at someone else think we are better than them, just because they may or may not be a believer or may be starting they're relationship with Christ. That doesn't mean we are better or they are worst/lower on the totem pole. It just means they have some things to learn just like we do. WE ALL DO!
This life is not about being better than everyone else. It's about learning more about Christ and applying it to our everyday lives. Making mistakes is normal. If we fall, then we just ask God for forgiveness and He'll pick us up.
Remember to run for God passionately, and to not look at everyone else like a judging contest but equally. Mistakes are inevitable, learning is growing.
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