Joyful Socks Mom: Reasons I Will Not Apologize When My Faith BUGS YOU!

2/4/13

Reasons I Will Not Apologize When My Faith BUGS YOU!

or, otherwise entitled: When my faith flies into to the face of other people, I'm getting to where I do not care as much, but I'll pray for them. ;)

Let me explain . . .

I don't wear make-up.
I do wear skirts.
I don't cut my hair.
I do stay home to educate my children.
I don't bling.
I do submit to God and my husband as the ultimate authorities in my life.

These are the things that I get to hear from others (yes, even other Christians) because of the outward standards that others observe in me, that for one reason or another REALLY bother them . . .

"Why do you stay-at-home and sacrifice your family's financial future?"

"I don't get it. Just trim your hair already, it's healthy. God didn't tell you to blow your nose in the Bible, but you do it because it's healthy and needs to be done."

"You should look more approachable and culturally relevant if you want to be a good witness to Christ."

Really?

Let's look at this and get right down to the fun, "nitty-gritty"-I-may-not-be-very-popular-if-I-say-this-out-loud on my blog:

These are principles and virtues that God has place on my heart . . . let me repeat that, MY HEART. . . Mine.

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They are standards He has erected in my life. They do not save me. They do not make me holy. That work was done long ago, by Jesus Christ, alone!

The modesty standards that are in place for me and my family, are an outward sign of a spiritual inward truth that the LORD has revealed to us. It doesn't make us better or worse than any other Christian. It is an expression of our faith.

PHOTO CREDIT via Compfight.com cc

Romans 14:1-9

"1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

²For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

³Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

⁴Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

⁵One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

⁶He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

⁷For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

⁸For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

⁹For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living."

What this scripture says to me, is I that need to be obedient to what the LORD has placed in my life. If He has called me to obedience in a certain area, where He has not called you, then it is me that is in peril if I do not submit, not you.

Philippians 2:12

^"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

With all the love, grace and mercy I can muster, let me say, the holiness standards that God has given to me, is not about you. Nor is it about the lady behind me in a pew, or the guy at the check-out stand, or my neighbor across the way.

It is about me and my Jesus!

As Christian brothers and sisters, we must learn to walk humbly in our own faith, and give others leave to do the same. May I suggest a few steps that you can take to avoid judgement when you are observing a standard of faith, in a brother or sister, that is different from your own:

Do not compare. Unless God has called you to that standard, do not think of yourself better or worse.
Do not assume judgement on the individual. God is the judge of a man's heart, and it is the heart that He is concerned about.
Do not believe that individual is declaring that you should do the same as they. Most likely, they are suggesting no such thing, so just stop assuming. Okay?

Romans 14:10-11

^"10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

¹²So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."