Changing Others

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ’s table, wouldn’t it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn’t eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help. ~Romans 14:1-4

Have you ever heard someone say something about God they believed to be completely true, but you knew that they were wrong?  Did you tell them they were wrong?  

I once had a co-worker who said that God was just a big Grandfather type guy who sits in Heaven, is hard of hearing and doesn't know what's going on here on Earth because He's not doing anything to help her.  When I heard her say that, I began grinding my teeth, my blood pressure shot WAY up and I wanted to berate her, chapter and verse, that her "knowledge" was false.  But I knew that starting a debate would turn into an argument which usually never ends well.  So I was silent, prayed for her, and still accepted her.

FIVE YEARS later, she came into my office and asked me if God is real or is He just a Santa Claus kind of guy you ask for things and He give them to you.  I explained, as best as I could, that my belief (stressing that this was MY belief) that God is very real and no matter what happens to me, He is still in control.  I went on to explain that regardless what happens in my life, God can take my circumstances and turn them into something amazing.  She told me that she was glad I hadn't confronted her when she had made those statements five years before, because she now knew that God is real and is in control and is definitely very close to her.

After our talk, I began to recall how many times I had witnessed or heard of churches splitting because of some silly argument that ultimately lead to "our way or the highway" (things such as the color of the pew cushions, which side of the sanctuary should the piano be on, the temperature setting of the sanctuary, the length of the announcements vs. the length of the sermon, and on and on).  What purpose do such arguments serve except to prove to others that the church is not a loving place?

We are to be accepting, and let God deal with the issue.  Why?  He's got more practice at resolving issues than any of us!