Walking in Someone Else's Shoes, Part 2
I’ve taught from revelation, and I’ve taught from experience. I can tell you, there is a huge difference between the two.
One phrase we hear from people that have experienced a measure of success from time to time is this: I never forget where I came from. When we think about it, there are really no more successful folks in the entire earth than Christians. What are some things you can remember about your life before you got saved? (Spare some of those details). I can easily think back to times of rejection, severe depression, anxiety, fear, hopelessness, outbursts of anger, etc.
I’ve found myself (admittedly) looking down my nose at folks that display those same tendencies once I got saved. I’ve distanced myself from them. I don’t want to be near them. I’ve perceived them as “dirty people”.I've forgotten what it's like to walk in their shoes.
I remember some neighbors my wife and I had in the past that I completely despised.They were "awful people"; hell to live next to. They were slobs,drunks,dope smokers, and sex addicts. They played horrible "music" loud and often. If you saw these folks, you would ask "how much do you charge to haunt a house?" They even (for a time) parked a HEARSE out in front of their house. They sat in it and smoked pot. All I could do was pray that they would move FAR FAR away...when maybe God had them next to me to show them an alternative to life. But I failed to endure; I failed the test. I think far too often, we center our lives around "church people". Now that we've gotten ourselves out of the world, we want nothing further to do with it. If that's the way I was looked upon when I needed salvation, I would probably still be sitting in the stink of my sin. Jesus was often chastised by none other than the religious folks for "hanging around the dregs of society". He proclaimed "it's the SICK that need a doctor".
Let’s look at Matthew 5.
Matthew 5:13-16(New King James Version)
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
We are light. Light shines BRIGHTEST in darkness. The world (and those in it) are darkness. We will shine brightest when in the MIDST of that darkness. What is attracted to the light outside of your door in the summer? BUGS.We were once bugs.
I believe every day we have opportunity knock on our door. We don't SEE it as an opportunity, but that's what it is. We think the devil rang our doorbell and ran after lighting a bag of crap on fire and leaving it outside on the stoop.But in reality, the Lord is the one who left it there. It looks one way to us, but to Him it just looks like a person in need of Him- much like we once did. This is where Godly Testing comes into our lives. We meet folks face to face that are just like we used to be: depressed, angy, hopeless. Yet instead of recognizing their plight, we're often repelled by them. We're not willing to put up with their attitudes, their foul language, and their ignorance. We don't want to get our hands dirty, we don't want them throwing up on us anymore. But when we look into their eyes, we MUST see ourselves.
We must be able to recognize the signs of someone crying out from their soul for hope, crying out for change, crying out for life. The problem is for us that the signs we see are often criticism, anger, or worse. I have been as guilty as anyone concerning this. It took the Lord to inspire this entire thought process. Like I said earlier, it is not IN AND OF MYSELF TO THINK THIS WAY. Honestly, in my thoughts, I have probably thought “to hell with them”. Sad, but true. I could look at someone and think, “THEM receive the Lord??!!! THEM???!!!!! Yeah right !!!!!!!!!!”
Has anyone had a similar test?
Dan Owczarzak
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I have had similar thoughts, and sadly, about my family. Almost as if they are too far gone, so why bother trying to get into their world. At my brothers wedding in Oct, I had a totally different mindset (thank the Lord.) I stayed at the reception until the end, danced a little, and drank pop. There were raunchy, completely "unacceptable" moments, and way too much drinking on their part. Every time someone would do something "questionable" my mom and brother would look at me with fear in their eyes, like I would blow up or run or something. I smiled at them and continued on in my conversations with Aunts and Uncles, and even my brother's heavily pierced, tattooed and drunk friends. It's amazing how that one day has opened up relationship with my mom and brother that previously wasn't there! I'm so thankful that God opened my eyes how to be "in the world but not OF it" that one day.
I just wish I could break out of the bubble I live in here in IN to have the same kind of experiences. Problem is, going to PA for that wedding was a bit like going back to Egypt for me. That is the place where I was, this is the place where I am. Make sense? I'm working on breaking out of this bubble, but it's got way more layers than I thought.
Lisa-
The statement you made about the "layers" is very profound. It's so true. It takes the Lord to bring us to the place where we even REALIZE that we have been "stand-offish" in our attitudes toward folks. Once we get the revelation, then the Lord can reveal the "layers" to us.
The one thing for us to always remember is to remain engaged in the process. It becomes harmful when we allow the devil to have us think we must get completely "on top" of this horrible attitude overnight, or we've missed it. We must avoid the condemnation and continue to allow the Lord to change us. Thanks for sharing that.