Judgementalism in Dexter's Lab

I have heard examples lately of Christians who hear ONE thing about someone, Christian or not, and they prejudge them, avoiding them or acting a certain way from that point on.

Jesus did not die for you so that you could judge and avoid other people, churches, pastors, political opponents, etc. If you claim to be so serious about the cross, then listen to what I'm saying and stop being so petty. I have a hard time understanding how people who have grown up around the cross for 20 years still have no patience with sinners, or even their brothers and sisters in Christ. If you can't tolerate sinners, that's a sin in itself; if you can't tolerate certain Christians, what is wrong with you?

This is going to be an awkward transition because the analogy that popped into my head was much more lighthearted and comical. I think it still fits. There was an episode of Dexter's Lab once, a long time ago. Deedee, the little sister, was annoying the crap out of Dexter, because she just wanted to show him something. Dexter, in the meantime, refused, because he didn't care and was very annoyed. He refused, based on his judgement of her, and he closed his mind to her.

Deedee was bugging Dexter the ENTIRE episode to just stop and pay attention to her for one minute so that she could show him something. Dexter avoided Deedee the whole time up until the very end. After a lot of nagging, Dexter finally blew up and said "All right Deedee, what is it you want to show me?" or something like that. She showed him her trick (which I think involved a jump rope and some other stuff). Dexter was actually impressed! He said "SAY, THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD! Well, I'll be seein' ya!" Then he waves at her with a smile and they both smile and part ways, and the episode ends. 

I may not be the best at making analogies here, but maybe there's something here that we could take away. I suffer from a judgemental heart too, so God was speaking to me as much as you when He reminded me of this. Dexter, just like you and I, shut out the person/people in his life that annoyed/vexed/drove him crazy. He shut them out, secluded in his own little bubble, his own little world. But Deedee persisted, and finally he listened! How long is it going to take before we shut up and stop listening only to ourselves? How long is it going to take before we stop, question ourselves, and listen to outsiders to the faith? For the sake of changing our doctrine to be more universalist? Absolutely not! But for the sake of showing that you actually care. These very people that drive you up the wall could be the very people that God wants you to warm to, and give you practice at humility instead of superiority. I'm talking about political enemies. I'm talking about the annoying girl in your class. I'm talking about the pastor you think has sold his soul to the devil just because he tries to make church fun by having a band and a few lights. God forbid we actually try to keep people awake on Sunday...

I think it's fitting that Deedee kept bugging Dexter. Frequently, outsiders are more patient with us than we ever are with them! And I think it's fitting that Dexter was actually pleased afterwards, even joyful. The joy that comes from actually living out a compassionate lifestyle [characterized by consistent listening]... is frankly, something that I think very few of us live.

Afterthoughts: on a separate note

P.S.: "compassion", when broken down into root words, means "to suffer with". Are you willing to listen to others who need help, even when it is not convenient?

Naughty or Nice?

You know, I was just thinking... why is the world beginning to look down on marriage and favor "sex however I want it"?

You know how in media such as movies and books, the "naughty" aspect of sex is rapidly becoming considered the turn-on to any sexual relationship. Gotta have the handcuffs and whips. But I'm not really talking about that stuff so much as I'm talking about how it's now considered desirable to be "naughty". How did what is good become boring, even undesirable? 

I just look on, amazed, at how "goodie goodie" girls are looked down on in our culture, and how we don't earn our man or woman card until we've had, frankly put, a good amount of hot sex. That's the way it's marketed. And really, in all honestly, I'm comfortable with sex, and this conundrum still appalls me. I've never done it, but hey, let's just say that my Christian brothers and I have no problem discussing it. Comfort with the topic is great. Comfort with using it outside of God's preference is not. And I know that sounds like a "goodie goodie" attitude... but there is so much more to life than what I thought before I really started following Christ. To quote Matt Chandler, God did not create the Law to rob us of the enjoyment of Creation, but to help us experience and enjoy it the way it was designed to be by God for our benefit, good, and His glory. God does not rob or deprive us of what He has called good. He helps us enjoy it in the best ways.

So we've all got this huge superiority complex, as Americans. We think that we know the best way to enjoy sex (namely, however we want it). Dare we literally think that God doesn't know the best way for us to enjoy things? Who was it that let Adam and Eve walk around naked all the time and eat papayas?! It was a freakin' sweet time! They didn't have to worry about money either! God has put us here to listen to Him and learn how to enjoy things the way He wants us to. When Adam and Eve walked outside of that parameter, they gave birth to this superiority complex... that I KNOW, not GOD KNOWS.  That the truth lies with ME, not with GOD. So we start listening to US, not to the LORD of all.

And we get this backwards understanding that what is bad... is actually good. See the polarity?

The other day, I told an old friend that my friend Brad was getting married. His response: "Poor bastard." See, marriage is an inherently wonderful, good thing. But the world hates the things of God because they seem like foolishness.

So anyway. We love our "naughty jokes", but perhaps we should stop... and listen to Christ and realize, maybe that's not what He wants us to say. Lust is quickly becoming the new "love". And I just hope that as the true Gospel of Christ is reintroduced by the new wave of united churches all across the nation and the world, that this norm is reversed. Our kids are not going to have it easy.

If you don't understand my point of view and you think I'm a sheltered hyper-conservative jerk... I'm sorry. I'm really not. But I think that the things that God wants for us are important and that He's made it very clear. 

Isaiah 45:19 NLT... I love this. 18 "I am the LORD," he says, " and there is no other. 19 I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner so no one can understand what I mean. And I did not tell my people to ask me for something I did not plan to give. I, the LORD, speak only what is true and right."

Breaking this down: Number one... God's promise is rock solid, and publicly available. Number two, He is not vague, and Scripture is clear. There is no excuse that one can "interpret the Bible differently from another" so as to make sin seem okay. It's called exigesis, look it up. Number three, God promises us salvation, and he will deliver. Number four, if you can count on anyone, it's him.

Outside and Inside: Why we're obsessed with good works.

Ever wonder to yourself, in light of the Gospel, how and why the whole world thinks that doing good deeds makes you a good enough person for Heaven?

As Christians, hopefully we know that it works a little differently from that. It's actually the opposite! Being a good person makes you do good things. I'll explain. 


Because of the way salvation works, we can't earn it. God placed a curse on us when Adam and Eve sinned. The people under a curse can't break a curse. Because of the resulting weight of our sin, we can never hope to rise back up to the glory we once had. Adam and Eve were immortal! Sin earned them death (the wages of sin = death). So suddenly we see how impossible it is. Even the good things we do aren't enough, because they don't earn us right standing with God. 

But what does? Faith. And to be more specific, love.


Love for God is faith. If you love Christ, you start to change. This is where the title's main point comes in. 


We change on the inside. That causes a change on the outside.

The world has it backwards. Why?

They can't see the unseen, inner parts of us that cause they're just that. Invisible! So they look at what they CAN see. They look at the overt, outer parts of us that really say what we're all about, and they draw conclusions from there. 

So suddenly we get this outer-focused perspective, when really it starts with the heart and what's inside. So you get people who pour millions into charities just to feel better about themselves as a person, when all they'd have to do is realize and admit their need for a savior, and just accept in their heart what Jesus has done. There's nothing we can do, except surrender. After all, we're fallen people. We sin. "Nobody's perfect." Even nonbelievers know that. We just need to help explain how that links to God and faith and the heart and how all that stuff precedes a behavior change. 


Because if we're honest, all of us are experienced in behavioral modification. We'll try different combinations of what we do to see if we feel better about ourselves. But wait... nothing we do can save us? Right! Because it's not about what we do. It's about the heart underneath. Is it for or against God? Does it hold onto Christ out of love and desperation? Or is it just okay with looking good on the outside?

Recognize your need for Christ... repent... love Christ... behavior starts changing. Why? Because you don't want to sin anymore. Are we sinless? By no means! But you grow less and less comfortable with it. 

American church

We think we have it hard here in America. You've seen the anti-liberal mailings, alerting you to every new political "threat" to our great country and our great faith.

Guys, if your faith is really great, nothing can threaten it.

Ephesians 6:12. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but it is against spiritual forces. So why are we burning away our lives in opposition to another political party? It's exhausting! You spend your whole life making it about what you're against and you forget about what you're for.