Double standards

Everyone hates a double standard.  Christians are not immune to this.  Have you ever been in a situation where others could seemingly get away with anything, but if you even dangled a toe over the line, it was treated as scandalous?  I'm not talking about having a persecution complex here, I'm genuinely asking if you've ever been in that situation.  Maybe it's happened in a work environment or a social setting, a neighborhood, or, worst of all, within a church.

Jesus explained this social phenomenon to his followers when he extended his own hand of friendship to them: "You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:14 New Living Translation)

When a person becomes a friend of God, he automatically makes himself an enemy of the world and the world's system (James 4:4).  Anyone who is not controlled by God's Holy Spirit is controlled by the world's system.  Sadly, this is true even within Christian churches.

This explains why a group of worldly minded people will go to any lengths to protect one of their own.  They will justify unacceptable behavior, hide wrong actions, deny evil motives and blame innocent parties, all in the name of "love".

But let a true Christian, a friend of God, someone who is honestly doing what Christ commands, stumble personally or have a family member who stumbles, and it is "instant scandal".  The gossip machines start printing out tabloids, texts and twitters fly through the air, with the message, "Did you hear about...?"

Instead of justification, like the world's friends get from their own, the true Christian receives accusation and condemnation.

Don't be shocked.  We've been warned:

"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.  I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you." John 15:18,19 (New Living Translation)

I'm not writing this so we can have a pity party or be afraid of the world's condemnation and judgment.  I'm writing this so we can check our own hearts and motives and make sure we belong to Jesus Christ and are controlled by His Holy Spirit.  And one of those litmus tests for which spirit controls us is our response to someone else's struggles.  Is my heart response compassion, prayer and mercy or is it a "feeding frenzy" of gossip.  Do I cover the struggling person with a blanket of love, keeping what I know between myself and God while I pray for that person and love them?  Or do I use that person's pain as "an opportunity for the flesh", when I can pass the information on to others, maybe "disguised" as a prayer request?  And that even goes for people I don't like!

So, if you want to know whose friend you are, God's or the world's, check your initial reaction to someone else's pain and struggle.  Do you have a double standard, justifying some people and condemning others?  James calls that being double-minded and unstable in all your ways (James 1:7).  Or do you measure those you like and those you don't like by God's measuring stick of justice tempered with mercy?

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:12,13 (New International Version)

--Posted by Mama O.