Practicing What I Preach

Last week was an odd ball kind of week. I've written this post in my head about a gazillion times, and have not been sure how to start it, so there you go.

I don't find it ironic at all that after I posted about Band Aids on Wednesday, I was basically handed an opportunity to practice what I was preaching.

To practice loving people where they are at, holding no judgment whatsoever, listening to what's really going on in someone’s life and just being there for them. In the good, bad, the ugly and very, very ugly.

You see, last week I heard the news that a friend from college, not just an acquaintance, but a dear friend was put in jail for making a very poor, poor choice. To say that I was shocked, horrified and sad for her all at once is a complete understatement. I was truly speechless. My mind was going every which way and I just sat there in amazement.

When I sat in bed that night, till 2 a.m. mind you, trying to take my thoughts captive but with little success, I wanted to think that what she did was something I would never do. That what happened was completely crazy. That I was clearly a better Christian because I've never, nor will I ever do such a thing.

However, it was the complete opposite. Instead of taking my thoughts captive, I put myself in her shoes.

In her jail cell shoes.

The truth is, the minute I think that is the minute I let pride have its way. By no means am I past any sin whatsoever. Without the grace of God who knows what sins I could/can commit. Without the grace of God, I would be a walking mess. This whole situation has done nothing but humble me.

To judge her would be judging her with human standards. Human standards are not God’s standards. We have to keep our focus on God, because we’ve all fallen terribly short of God’s standards.

To be completely honest, since the moment I heard of it, it's literally all I can think about. Like I said, in a time when taking my thoughts captive is of utmost importance, I am failing miserably. I just can't get it out of my mind. I'm so broken for her. What if that was me? How would I want people to react? What would I want people to do? How would I feel if my sin were broadcasted on the 10 o'clock news for all to see? Fortunately for me, it never has been, but unfortunately for her, that's exactly how I found out. Along with the rest of Houston.

During all my unfiltered thinking, few things have come to mind time and time again.

Lindsee, love her where she's at. Show it. Go visit her. Write her. Pray for her. Pray for her. Pray for her.

I don't think I've ever prayed more for a friend to know the forgiveness of Christ than I've prayed it for her. She is indeed a believer, but I need her to know it. To claim it. To believe it. I need her to know that she is dearly loved and that we will support her in all of this. I pray that all that nasty guilt and shame is taken away by the love of Christ. I've prayed that over her life constantly the past few days.

I've also been sick to my stomach the past few days. It's kept me up at night. Can you tell it's bothering me?

I'm truly just so humbled by the situation. I'm hurt. I'm disappointed, but at the same time, I have to practice what I preach and that is forgiveness and love and accepting people where they are at despite the awful circumstances.

It means that if I have to visit her in jail, even with a huge knot in my stomach and sweaty hands I'll do just that.

Not because I'm a good person at all, but because that's what God has called me to do.

I'm not good. The bible says I'm not good. I'm only good because of Christ in me. He makes me good.

And she needs to hear that.

I'm not better than her.

I'm not holier than her.

I love her and she needs to be shown the love of Jesus now more than ever. I strongly believe that.

Sometimes life is hard.

Join me in praying for her, will you? She is currently out on bail, but has a long road ahead of her.

Not with a spirit of condemnation, but a Spirit of forgiveness and freedom.

It would not be wasted on her whatsoever.

“So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it: There's nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God…in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:9-24

“There is no one who does good, not even one.” Psalm 53:3

“And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” Luke 18:19