Deception? Disgrace? Evil as Plain as the Scar on His Face?

 There is a movie where lions rule the pride lands. If you think I am talking about The Lion King, you are wrong. I am talking about The Lion King 2. In this movie Simba is king and he has a daughter. His daughter becomes friends with a lion named Kovu who was chosen by Scar (the villain in the last movie) to be king after Scar. That was taken from him when Simba took the kingdom back. 

I won’t get into all the details as you can watch it for yourself, but there is a song that happens in the movie called “One of Us.” In the song, Simba and the other animals of the pride lands exile Kovu. They do not give him a chance to tell his side of the story. He is kicked out and beaten by the other animals. Not a very loving moment, but the song does have a good beat.

All this got me thinking: do I ever act like Simba? Then I asked, does the church ever act like Simba? It is true that we are all sinners and have turned away from God. Thus, it should also be true that we understand grace; and that we should all be given a second chance. And yet, there are times when I think we judge others based off their sin.

For example, let’s say someone you knew lied. Would you think they were as bad or in need of as much forgiveness as someone who murdered someone else? Yes, I went with the extreme example. What about someone who wears black or rainbow colors? Would you let them in the church? What about the person who smokes and drinks? What about those who do not smell as good and cannot offer any monetary gifts? 

You get my drift. Sometimes I think we as Christians tend to judge others based off their appearance, what they do, or what they’ve done. Yet, that’s not what we are called to do. James 4:11-12 says, “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” You don’t know that person’s life. You don’t know what they are thinking. You don’t know their heart. Only that person and God knows that. 

What gives you a right to declare judgment on that person? What gives you a right to hurt that person? You don’t get that right. You get the privilege of praying for that person. Of knowing that person. Of loving that person as God loves them and us. You never know what someone may do for the kingdom. You never know the difference that one choice can make in someone’s life.

So, do you judge others when you should love them? How can you show love to someone today?

https://youtu.be/SfpXvbv7slc?si=CmxgyGpABoClfbrQ