Lately I have been thinking of a friend of mine. This girl in no way would ever call herself Christian, yet my friend grew up in the Church. She would read her Bible and pray daily and go to church whenever it was open. She was an active member of her church, but when her sister found herself in a bad situation with the pastor at their church, the people in church turned their back on her sister and her family. They said it must be her fault, that there was no way their pastor would ever do that sort of thing to a young girl.
So, why is this important? Well, every time I think of my friend’s story, I cannot help but think about the Church. How the Church does stuff like this all the time, and a lot of times without even thinking about it. We have become too quick to accuse the abused, rather then the abuser. We would rather judge those that are on the outskirts, rather than find a way to help them.
It makes me think about the story of the woman at the well (John 4:1-42). About how Jesus knew everything about the woman, but still decided to help give her the very thing she needed. Jesus did not seem to care about what it was that the woman did, Jesus just wanted to help the woman in the one way that He alone could. Not only did Jesus not only care about the past of the woman, He also did not seem to care that it was not proper for Him to speak to a single woman, let alone a woman of her nature. Yet Jesus did. So, what is it that is stopping you from wanting to reach those around you?
~ Pastor Jillian