Wolves in sheep's clothing.

Project 365 * 4
Day 631

     My husband has a second job. He delivers water on the days he isn't working at the fire station. Today, he was telling me that he delivered water to an abortion clinic in Manassas. As he was walking in, to do his job, he was approached by a hoard of people protesting the clinic. They asked him questions like, "do you know what they do in there?" "You're okay doing business with them?" And as he came out of the clinic, he was yelled at. In the name of Christianity.

     This is mind boggling. People who stand at abortion clinics and yell at the people going in and coming out are wolves in sheep's clothing. In my eyes, anyways. And I'll tell you why. Because we, as a human race, are all sinful. There isn't one exception among us. Furthermore, no one standing outside an abortion clinic yelling at people going in or out is in any position to judge. Not everything is black and white. Whenever I hear stories like this, I'm reminded of the story in the Bible. The one about the adulterous woman who was to be stoned for her sin. Jesus said this to the men who wanted to stone her, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Or how about this Bible verse, "How can you say to your brother, 'let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye. You hypocrite..."

     Here's what I think. The message of the Bible is love. Not hate. The message of the Bible is grace, forgiveness, mercy, redemption. How is standing at an abortion clinic and yelling at the people walking in or out going to do anything good? How is that showing Christ's love to others? Which is what Christians are called to do. The answer is, it does nothing good. And it doesn't show love. It shows hate. It's the opposite of what Jesus would do. Jesus would stand at an abortion clinic and say, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And he would show love to the people walking in. And walking out.

     The wolves have it all wrong. I know this because I've made mistakes. I've done things that haunt me to this day. Haven't we all made mistakes that haunt us? But whenever I start to feel shame and guilt for the things I've done, I'm reminded of God's love for me. It's everywhere. In the faces of my children. In a beautiful pink sunset. In a rainbow after a terrible storm. I'm reminded that Jesus came to earth to die a terrible death for me. And for all of humanity. He came to show love. To be love. He came to earth and hung out with criminals. Society's rejects. Sinners.

     Tonight, I'm thankful for love. Love so big it covers a multitude of sins. I'm thankful that, "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." If a person really wanted to make a difference in this world, that person would show love to others. Not judge others. Not hate others. Not yell at others. Not shame others. They would love. They would lavish love on others the way God has lavished his love upon us. I'm thankful for redemption. Grace. Mercy. Forgiveness. And most of all, I'm thankful for love. The greatest, most powerful force this planet will ever know. Imagine what would happen if we all, loved, every day.