Gnats and Camels

You would think that a comparison with such contrast would be insulting to our intelligence; and so it is. Jesus never pulled any punches when it came to addressing hypocrisy.

I wonder how many times we have played they hypocrite without even knowing it? The Pharisees believed they were right in most things. They believed that their good outweighed their bad. Do you think it is possible that we have felt the same way at times? I mean, doing so many "good things" that when we "slip up" we somehow justify it by the "good things" we have done?

Hypocrisy comes in many sizes and shapes. The word comes from the theater; it means an actor, one who portrays characters. Barney Fife was nothing in person like he was on the Andy Griffith show. I am sure he was a nice fellow but he was no where near as naïve as he portrayed on the show. Jesus used the word to describe the same type people only they were not acting for a living, they were acting as a cover up. Their actions and behaviors did not reflect what was truly in their hearts; self preservation and pride.

Let us be on guard for the same thing in our lives. If we are hypocritical, let us not know it, but be made aware of it by the soul searching Light of Christ by way of His Holy Spirit. I served under a Belgian plant manager in my former job. He had a favorite saying along the same line. He would say, "People are always looking for the fly poop in the pepper!" Camels are easier to see.

Immigration Reform: My two cents.

 1 Chronicles 29:15 

For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope. (NKJV)

 

Immigrants have always come to this country, in fact, had they not; many of us would not be here either. My ancestors are of Scottish and Irish descent for the most part as far as I know. Coupled with some Native Americans at some point I understand.

People came to this country to find refuge and hope and are still coming to America for the same reasons. The major issue of course for us is what they are bringing with them; their cultures, their religions, their diseases, and so on. What they should understand is what they are coming into. America is not the nation it once was; economically or morally. What they are coming into may be better than what they are leaving; or it may not! Mother Teresa once said in an interview that the poorest of all nations is the one that is spiritually poor, she was referring to America. She was stopped in an airport in New York by a young journalist who asked her what it was like living in such poor and devastating conditions as she did in Calcutta. 

I think the root of the immigration issue comes from pride. Pride in what one has causes them to fear losing it, regardless of how important it is to the next person. Pride replaces trust in God. We think that all we have has been earned by us and we are not about to give it up to someone who did not work for it. I think I remember Jesus saying once, “If you have two coats, give one to the person who does not have one.” I remember He also said, “Feed your enemy if he is hungry.” Why would He say such things? It could be because He taught us to pray saying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Everything we have was given unto us by Him so how dare us to think we earned what we have by our own accord; but we do.

Let us not forget that we are all, regardless of where we were born or live, created in the image of God. When we begin to think of ourselves as more important than others then we will begin to isolate ourselves from everyone that does not look like us or talk like us. The Bible teaches that Jesus died for everyone, not just certain nationalities. I saw a bumper sticker on a car a while back that read “Mr. Obama, America is still a Christian Nation.” What a lie. A nation that passes laws to allow mothers to kill their unborn children is certainly not a Christian nation. A nation that condones immorality as the norm is certainly not a Christian nation. Perhaps some of the immigrants will bring Christ to America when they come; Lord knows we need Him!