If you find that hard to believe here is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, he said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” It makes me wonder how we really could be more and more like Jesus. Then how many more people would have accepted the Lord as their Savior and be saved!
Called to be Soul Winners
It also makes me wonder how well we are fulfilling the great commission that Jesus gave us in Matthew 28: 19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
There will be times when we will be hated because we are true followers of Christ. However, if we are having a negative impact on people because we lack the fruits of the spirit, it is definitely a cause for concern. Galatians 5:22, 23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Leaders have more responsibility
The weight of responsibility is far greater on the leaders and the shepherds. In Jeremiah 23:1-2, the Lord says, “Woe to the shepherds (the civil leaders) who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasturing! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for and feed My people. You have scattered My flock and driven them away and have not visited and attended to them; behold, I will visit and attend to you for the evil of your doings, says the Lord.”
God’s Heart For The Hurting
Both Isaiah 42:3 and Matthew 12:20 says, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.” The Lord cares deeply for the brokenhearted and downtrodden. Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” He takes this very seriously. When those who are already bowed down and heartbroken are subjected to even more grief and sorrow.
We hear the grieving heart of our Lord in Isaiah 1:2 where He says, “Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken:“I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.” Isaiah 1:23 shows us what grieves Him, “Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.”
God’s Heart: Wake-up Call
Can you imagine how much these things are grieving the Lord’s heart? He gave up His life on the cross and paid the ultimate price for these precious and timeless souls. He created them so they could spend eternity with Him and His ‘heartless‘ followers are the reason they shun Him. It is time Christian leaders and we the followers of Jesus Christ take more responsibility for our actions. And became aware of the kind of impact we are having. Especially if it is negatively affecting the kingdom work being done.
There are many people who ‘used to be believers‘. But they have not been called by their leaders or church members after they left the church. There are many who are so ‘different’ that nobody tries to understand them and even worse, they are pushed away. We need to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 25:45,46. “TRULY I TELL YOU. WHATEVER YOU DID NOT DO FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU DID NOT DO FOR ME.” And let us remember what He said after that, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Let us ask the Lord to search our hearts and reveal to us what we need to change within ourselves and the way we interact and treat others so that we can truly reflect His love to the lost.