So, I’ve been here in Haiti for about 3 weeks! Amazing, wild, intense, impacting. These words can’t even begin to describe these past 3 weeks.
Just unexplainable.
One thing that has been tugging on my heart is judgement.
Starting off my time in Haiti, house visits were very new to me. Unsure of what to share and what to ask was challenging at first, but having some experience now, I’m very intrigued. I want to get to know these people. I want to know if they are believers. I want to know if not, then why not? What’s holding them back? Lack of knowledge or is there a deeper root to their hesitation of accepting Christ?
The conversation that has continuously popped up is their experience with “Christians”. How these “Christians” act, treat others, and JUDGE.
So many Haitian men and woman have told us stories of not being welcomed by the church due to not having a nice haircut or not having “nice” clothes. They not only tell them they are not good enough to even step into the church, but they are laughed at, talked about, and made fun of by the people of the church.
Awful right?
It is very clear in the Bible that judgement is not ours to have. It is not our place and by doing so, you are trying to put yourself in a place to do what only God has the right to do. Also, even if you attempt to judge, you can’t do so without being a hypocrite because we all have our own faults and our own issues.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
-Matthew 7:1-5
You’re most likely reading this, becoming just as upset as I am, because the actions of “Christians” in the church here in Haiti are making ones who desire to start a walk with Christ feel hesitant and shameful. It’s very much a culture thing here, but what is our excuse at home?
Have you ever thought about how often this happens right in front of your own eyes? I can’t speak for everyone, but I have definitely seen this in my generation especially.
Think about this…
•How do you represent your faith?
•Do you choose when you are a Christian and when you’re not?
•Do you lead during youth group, but go party on Saturday nights? How do you think this will effect a nonbelievers view on Christianity?
•How do your actions display you’re relationship with the Lord.
•Are you living the way Jesus lived?
Are you loving EVERYONE and seeing them through Christ’s eyes?
•Do you see that your actions could make or break someone accepting Christ and entering Heaven one day?
•Are you placing yourself higher than others? Do you think Jesus thought of himself higher than his followers?
All these questions may seem harsh, but this is reality..
We were given the GIFT of living freely because JESUS died for our sins. Because of this, we have the GIFT of honoring this and sharing this with everyone we come in contact with. We have been given the GIFT to live like Christ and show love and kindness to all.
God didn’t have to do all these things for us, but He did and they are GIFTS. These are for every single person on this earth, not just me or you or your church friends. We are all undeserving, but we are so loved by our Heavenly Father, so let’s honor that. I don’t know about you, but this makes me want to do everything in my power to fight for His fame, starting with giving up what is not my to have. Judgment…
