I Am A Sinner and A Christian

During our 7 year journey of infertility, we have faced so many wonderful and difficult things.  The greatest blessings we have received on this road have been the adoption of our son Jonah and the soon to be birth of our 2nd earthly son, Caleb.  We have made many new friendships along the way and met some really amazing people.  Along with blessings, come lots of hardships.  God never promised the road would be easy.  He only promised He would carry us through it.  Through out this journey I know that I have not always handled things how they should have been handled and that my faith has really lacked a lot at times.  But you know, I'm not perfect.  None of us are.  I am just a sinner saved by God's amazing grace trying to feel my way blindly through a journey that I have never been through until now.  The only perfect person is the Lord and it is Him that covers our imperfections with His love. 

The outside world has a very negative view of Christians.  I don't know when we felt the need that Christians needed to be put on a Peta stool or when the outside world started to think that because someone is a Christian they needed to be perfect.  Maybe they got that opinion from us because sadly, we sometimes think that because we're Christians, we are above everyone else?  Maybe it's because sometimes we as Christians focus too much on what others are doing what we think is wrong rather than striving to make things right in our own lives.  How can we point the finger at someone else when we ourselves are so full of sin?  The term Christian means to be like Christ.  Since we are ALL sinners (Christian or not), we can never be like Christ, but it is something that we need to daily strive for.  Christ is the only perfect being and therefore is the only one with the right to judge.  It is Christ perfect love that covers all our sins and makes us new when we believe and confess that He is Lord. 

I'm not trying to bash on Christians.  I myself am a born again Christian.  I know that I am very guilty of focusing on what others are doing wrong rather than what I should be changing in my own life.  How are we supposed to show the lost and dying world that they need the love of Jesus when we're too busy telling them what their doing wrong rather than showing them the love that Christ commands us to show?  God says to love the person, but hate their sin.  Pointing the finger isn't loving them....  Cutting off a relationship isn't loving them.....  Whispering behind their back isn't loving them.........  Loving them is showing them Jesus through our own lives.  I guess the point I'm trying to make is that being a Christian doesn't make you better than anyone else.  We are all the same in God's eyes and He loves each and everyone of us the same no matter what we have done.  Christians will never be perfect.  Some of us are just trying to live according to God's Word the best we humanly can. 

Though out the years, I have mentioned periodically that some of our brothers and sisters in Christ have not supported us through this journey.  Yes, it has hurt us deeply, but I still love them no matter how they feel about what I have done.  Infertility is very hard to understand unless you have traveled down this road yourself.  People have tried to tell us what God's Will is for our lives, but deep down we all know that no one knows what God's Will is for any persons life accept for that person who is seeking God's Will for their very own life.  We just get caught up in looking at others rather than ourselves. Yes, I wish they would accept my baby and yes I wish I could have a relationship with the ones that have chosen to leave us.  But once again, even though it hurts, I still love them and I forgive them.  I will not speak evil about them and I ask you all to be patient with them.  For anyone, no matter what the circumstance is, it's hard to understand unless this situation unless you've been there. 

I apologize if I have ever come across hurtful towards my fellow Christians, family, or friends.  I'll be truthful, it's hard to not want to hurt someone when they have hurt you.  I am trying to be more forgiving and I am trying to let go of the words that have hurt me through out this.  I know some will never agree with our path and that's OK.  I just pray that they will have enough love and respect for me to still carry on a relationship with me.  We need to stop wasting time on judging others and start appreciating the relationships God has blessed us with.  I pray that God will fill those that I love, that have left me, with compassion and understanding that His path for others we may not always agree with.       

Today I challenge you all to show the love of Christ to someone who's path you do not agree with.  I also challenge the outside world to not judge Christians too harshly.  We all just learning as we go.  = )  

Here's a song from Natalie Grant called "Perfect People".  I hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFDl-KWu-XQ