We'd do well to remember that

Today I told a fellow believer her hatefulness was shaming Jesus.  I suggested ministry to the [bad girls] instead of a judgmental, haughty, attitude.

When I went to unfriend her, she was already gone.  Oh, well.  I think I was pretty fair.

I just hated to think of some unreached person reading all the hate on her wall and thinking it was "normal" for a Christian!  Guys, I get it.  I really get why some of ya'll think we're just a bunch of haters.  I absolutely understand.

God also has a way of showing me who I'm not to be:  like that.  I don't care so much about the [easy women]  I pity them.  They may be manic, undiagnosed bipolar.  They may have suffered sexual abuse; it's not my place to judge.  I just want to hug them, give them a Bible, and take them to my church.

My stumbling block are the homeless alcoholics.  I have a very hard time finding them relatable.

When I was a little girl, living outside a big city, I'd cry over the homeless sleeping on the heating grates.  As I got older, my parents told me they lived that way due to mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction.  My Dad still works with the homeless.

Don't ever give them money, he implores, it just goes to the habit.  Don't look at them, because they may be mentally ill and have problems with staring.  So, I did that.

I also had to deal with extremely aggressive panhandlers in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.  I had to pretend I was deaf, and they were invisible.  Any hesitancy or timidity was leapt on like a wolf with a hamburger.  I had to get very assertive in order to get them to leave me alone.

Not to mention, y'all know I have an oil tanker full of issues regarding addiction.  My loved ones and addiction - oh, I could write a million blogs.  I have a lot of hatred for addictive substances, and anger at those who imbibe.

God's working with me on that; it's hard because the local "homeless" are pretty awful people.  They're going to die in the streets, and that's how they want it.  They just want to milk the "civilians" for beer money, the shelters for food and a bunk on nasty nights, and live under the overpass.  Let me tell you, they can make waiting on the bus real fun.  They tell me this!

One guy has lost both legs to diabetes, but he won't stop drinking.  He just goes out on his corner, begging, and will until he's dead.  I gave him some "candy", but that's between him and God.  He gets upset because I don't give him money.

Anyway, God will work on me, guide me, show me what to do.

He did a pretty good job with the "illegal" issue.  I was very upset at the "invaders" for a while, "using up our resources" etc.

I've been to Mexico border towns.  They are hell.  I'd do anything to get out of there, too.  I absolutely understand why they come here.

The only time this all could have been "fixed" was 60 years ago.  It's too late.  We are a very mixed culture and we need to live with it.

Besides, the Spanish are much more eager to get a Bible, than the English.  Very eager.  It's rare they say no.

God also put a wonderful thought in my head.  I was thinking, well, Lord, what about all this "They're ruining the country and the economy" crap I hear?

"Heather" He told me.  "That's what Hitler said, too."

ZAP!

So, I'll embrace them.  Will I rent them a room?  No, but I'll be a lot more amenable to evangelism.

I was reading a good book on evangelism, and one thing the guy said: The Devil will try to discredit our witness.  The Devil wants us to become hateful, haughty, and judgmental, because then NO ONE will listen to us.

We'd do well to remember that.