Spiritual Growth #2 – Judged by Roosters and Donkeys

Rainy Hilo (courtesy Smith)

In Part or Full?

Most churched Christians are taught not to judge (to criticize or censure*). So, based on that narrow “in part” interpretation, Christians go to extremes and stay away from making any judgments, even moral ones. Come on! Judgment is not a dirty word—unless, of course, we have something to hide. Being the Christian hypocrites that we are, we’re going to insist that others refrain from making judgments about us because we’re trying to protect our “religious masks”, aren’t we?

What ever! We can fool ourselves for as long as we like—and we do it often enough—yet, God isn’t fooled. He patiently gives us enough time to choose to get out of our deceptions. Isn’t that what deception is? Believing that God and no one else “sees” our works of darkness because we haven’t been struck by lightning yet; and so, we keep on playing in our sin?

That’s why, at a time when we feel the most “safe”, everything hidden in darkness comes into the light—and gets judged anyway (Luke 12:2, 3; John 3:19-21 NIV). For example, we haven’t forgotten the Christian televangelists and child molesters who got caught, have we? They deceived their hearts (James 1:26; 1 Cor. 3:18) and allowed deception to continue—believing God would do nothing—until the “world”, who (thankfully!) sees our sins clearer than we can, comes knocking on our door. Thus, the world’s laws will judge us—since the church will not judge her self—and save us from being doomed to live pitiful, incongruous Christian lives!

When we fail to judge ourselves, God uses others to do it for us. How about a rooster’s crowing to convict the apostle of his denial (Matt. 26.34, 35, 69-75 - Peter)? Or, using a donkey’s stubbornness to judge a prophet’s perverse ways (rashness-acting without forethought or due caution; too hasty*) (Num. 22:12, 19-22, 23-32 - Balaam)?

Like it or not, believe it or not, Christians are judged not later, but right now—so long as God continues to speak through roosters and donkeys! LOL.

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*The American Heritage Dictionary, Dell Publishing, New York, N.Y. July, 1989.

Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked “NIV” are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved