Thursday, May 9, 2024
I spent countless hours asking my parents questions about the Bible's teachings as a child because I found it fascinating. When I was around seven, I mentioned John 3:16. I then began bombarding my dad with questions, such as, "What about the Jews? Do they go to heaven? They don't think Jesus is God's Son? What about people who haven't heard about God? What about newborns who don't know about Jesus yet?” When Dad was finally able to speak, he responded, "Honey, sometimes you're glad you're not God." He then cited Matthew 7:5-7, the "judge not, or you will be judged" scripture.
This verse, like others in the Bible, reads like a rule, and it is. It is also a gift. Not judging others frees us to follow Christ's instruction to love one another as he loves us (John 13:34). This commandment encourages us to treat others with compassion and empathy. It encourages us to focus on our own behaviors and aspire to be better people. By accepting this gift, we create a society in which love triumphs over judgment and criticism.
The political culture in Granbury has always been toxic and cruel. However, what I have seen recently frightens me on a spiritual level. There is a dangerous trend of daring to judge a person's intimate relationship with God and labeling others as evil because of differing opinions and political beliefs. The song The Day the Music Died paints a horrifying picture of "Satan laughing with delight." We are playing directly into the devil's hands, perpetuating a cycle of animosity and discord. Certainly, we can disagree with one another and hold each other accountable. However, rage, disrespect, and hatred must stop; otherwise, we find ourselves in spiritual warfare against children of God rather than fighting the true enemy, Satan.
Allison Southern Ullom
Granbury
