No prostitutes allowed...

I was reading a book the other day. I know, I am so cutting edge. Anyhow, the book is entitled Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. I am rather enjoying the book, because it gives me a lot to think about. I don't always like to read people that think just like me, I like to read people that will give me something to think about. Let me add, that Shane Claiborne very much so causes me to think. So I am reading and he tells of a conversation that he and one of his hippie friends has and here is how he sets it up and tells of what happened with their interaction: "I have this old hippie friend who loves Jesus and smokes a lot of weed, and he's always trying to get under my skin and stir up a debate, especially when I have innocent young Christians visiting with me. (The problem is that he knows the Bible better than most of them do.) One day, he said to me, 'Jesus never talked to a prostitute.' I immediately went on the offensive:'Oh sure he did,' and whipped out my sword of the Spirit and got ready to spar. The he just calmly looked me in the eye and said, 'Listen, Jesus never talked to a prostitute because he didn't see a prostitute, he just saw a child of God he was madly in love with.' I lost the debate that night."
Something about that story just echoed in my spirit. What if i saw people as Christ sees them and not as the sin or their shortcomings. I think the world is crying out to be loved where they are and not for what they do. If we as followers of Christ could live this way, I think we would shine as we have been called to shine. So let us not look at people based on what they do, but on who they are, and they are loved by our Heavenly Father. So instead of us picking up judgment, let us pick up grace, instead of holding up condemnation, let us hold up Love. A challenge indeed, but worth it all the same!