Lion Lovin'

This weekend I went to Fayetteville, Arkansas with my fiancee and her wonderful family. On Saturday afternoon we went to a safari park. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love animals. Really all types of animals.

While we were there we had a chance to play with a lion cub.

Though this one seems tame, because he is completely worn out from all the playing, I am reminded not be distracted by the furry, cute outer covering. Don't get me wrong, this thing was stinkin adorable. I wanted to take it home. Here is another picture of the one I'm holding's brother playing with a toy:

Think about it this way, underneath all the fur and muscle and bones, lions run on primitive software. Simple software, Eat, Sleep, Breed, and Survive. Everything else comes extra and is easily forgotten when the software takes over. Even though they are cute and cuddly, they will one day be dangerous. Very dangerous.

Here's the thing, humans are the same way. We run on primitive caveman software. The one thing you don't have to teach a child how to do is sin. Babies come out of the womb selfish beings. Knowing this, why in the world do we expect non-believers to look like believers? Shouldn't there be a difference?

To judge someone who does not claim Christ for not looking like Christ is utter foolishness.

That statement, to me, means two things.

One, being surprised or upset at a sinner (unbeliever) when they sin is a sure fire way to block the gospel from flowing through you to them. Simple as that. You can't expect someone without Christ not to sin because they have no way not to. Christ is our only way not to sin. In two ways, Christ shows us our sin by His Word and His spirit (The Holy Spirit's conviction John 16:7-8) and, Christ gives us the strength to defend against temptation. He is more powerful than any sin, addiction, or fault we have, and he FREELY gives us that power.

Two, if someone claims Christ and truly believes, you have every right to hold them up to scripture as a fellow believer. Not only do you have the right, but the duty. To allow a brother to fall without attempting to catch him is a slight to the kingdom.When a man accepts Christ and truly believes, Christ makes him a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The "old" referenced in this verse is that sinful wiring. Christ desires to make us more like himself and that's where he starts. A word of caution, before you call someone out, make sure what they are doing is actually a sin. And do so graciously. Scripture instructs us to bear with one another, (Ephesians 3:13) and love one another through it.

Just a thought for today. I hope it encouraged/challenged you.

Desiring deeper waters,
Jeremy