Wednesday, March 2, 2011

JESUS, FRIEND OF SINNERS

 
I heard Billy Graham’s daughter tell about going with her father to a White House dinner when Bill Clinton was in office. It was not long after the scandal with Monica Lewinski was exposed.


She sat with her father at Clinton’s table and during dinner, observed her father treating Clinton with kindness, graciousness and love.


When they left the White House, she asked her father, “How can you treat Clinton so kindly after all he has done?” Billy Graham responded, “It’s God’s job to judge, the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and my job to love.”


Luke 15:1-2 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”  I’m so thankful He does.

I am also thankful that when God corrects us, there is love, acceptance and hope along with it. I’m sorry to say, when I try to straighten other people out, it just comes out critical and accusing. I think Jesus made it pretty clear that we have our hands full taking the log out of our own eye, and don’t have time to work on other people’s specks. This is not to say there aren't time we genuinely need to "speak the truth in love." I bet President Clinton was more open to hear the truth from Billy Graham because of his love.

In response to a newspaper’s question, “What’s wrong with the world?” Catholic thinker G.K. Chesterton wrote, “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely G. K. Chesterton.”

FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard Lazarus was ill He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” John 11:5

What?? I would have expected, “Now Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, so He quickly traveled to where they were to heal Lazarus, and spare Martha and Mary the devastation of losing their brother.”

When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. He loved Martha and Mary so much, that when He saw Mary and those with her weeping over the death of Lazarus, He was so moved and troubled, he wept.

Going back to the beginning of the story, Jesus received a message from Martha and Mary saying, “He whom you love is ill.” John 11:3 When Jesus heard it, he told His disciples the illness would not lead to death, but is for the glory of God
Jesus loved Martha and Mary so much, that He wanted them to see God’s glory, even though they would have to experience such pain in order to see it.

Wow! I think that’s how it often is for us. We really get to know God and see His glory in tough times.