I am glad that I know my hope rest in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness.

Hebrew 10: 24-25 reads,  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

But do we truly spur on one another on toward love and good deeds? Do we welcome a stranger into church regardless of their address, their dress, or social affiliations? Or do we judge them without knowledge of the gift they hold within because our exterior vision doesn’t perceive what’s within?

Churches are questioning they are becoming a social club or losing membership from the 20s to 50s? Why there is such a negative view of many that have been shamed and/or ignored by the very people that say they are followers of Christ. We witness something that doesn’t agree with our way of thinking and instead of trying to understand, we judge and exclude them. We witness something that we think they should have done differently, handled a matter according to our comfort zone and we tell them their error in disdained without ever trying to understand why their actions, though not sinful was appropriate for them though not for you. We judge and categorize actions because we fear what another potential may do to our own perceived status before peers. We hold on to position without willing to share knowledge because we fear change, fear losing power or title. We judge motives and connections made of someone new to our group because we never take the time to get to know the true person.

The church is supposed to be where we come together and fellowship in love and acceptance spurring each other in love and good deeds, but instead, in many cases, it’s become a fraternity and sorority with hidden spiritual hazing.

People of God, STOP it. Stop the judging. Stop the class defining because of economic and educational difference. Stop the perception that all have their hands out just for what they can get instead of how they can help.

If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both. (1John 4:20)