We are sharing this convention center with a cheerleader competition. There are hundreds and hundreds of cheerleaders here of all ages. The are painted with heavy eye makeup and in classic skin revealing cheerleader uniforms as they are walking with their moms.You may be thinking, “This is your biggest struggle? You sick-o.” Let me correct your thinking. I have heard soooo many of the youth leaders here judge these girls and their moms. I have some of this struggle too. I think, “Would I let my daughter dress like this? Are there girls here who feel bad about how they look because of all the other girls who are so pretty or skinny?” I overheard a lot of girls and moms say things about other teams and other girls and the judges. They were not pleased with the results, etc. So I struggle with my own personal thoughts and the verbalized thoughts of all these other youth workers here. It is really frustrating to hear us be so flippin’ judgmental. I don’t know what to do with it. I just know that it’s making me mad.
Why are we so good to teach against judging others and yet so good at judging others?
Sorry...this was a little raw one for me.
1 comment:
I feel your pain on this brother. It seems as Christians we have become so paranoid about being polluted by the world that we have forgotten that Jesus has overcome the world. We establish ourselves as the standard of righteousness and therefore we can feel pretty good about ourselves in light of the sin we see around us. Instead be we should looking to Jesus as the standard of righteousness and thus becoming overwhelmed with gratitude for his grace in light of our wretchedness. The fact that we look on the world with judgment reveals that we do not understand forgiveness and our own position outside of Christ. We see ourselves as worthy and therefore qualified to judge. Instead we are unworthy and therefore slaves to grace.
I love what Paul says in 1Cor 5:12, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?" The challenge is to learn how to love those outside the church without affirming their sin.
I feel you in this man. Instead of judging those outside the church our hearts should be broken that they have established a lie as their standard of self-worth. These girls and there mom's value hinges on how good they looked in a uniform or what a judge said about them. There value has not been established in the understanding that they are the object of the affection of the Creator of the universe. Tragic. (I am making large generalizations. I am sure there are plenty cheerleaders who do understand their identity in Christ and are his followers) It is our love, not our judgment that will compel people into this true identity.
Thanks for sharing your struggle with this tension. It has encouraged me to evaluate myself and if I am loving or judging people into transformation?
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