My Friend

Jesus, Friend of Sinners is a popular song that I've heard several times, but I hadn't really listened to the words until earlier today.  This song talks about how no one knows what we stand for, only what we stand against.  I think about the protests and all the people who have been hurt by the Church, and I hate how true this statement can be at times.  As a believer, it is so easy to get caught up in the do's and the don't's of Christianity, and while these basic guidelines are extremely important, we must first remember who Jesus is.

First of all, Jesus is.  He is alive and in each one of us, no matter whether we accept Him or not.  He is the great "I am", and he forgives us continually.  Because He IS alive, He IS a friend of sinners.  That doesn't mean He is friends with the thief, or the liar, or the alcoholic, but it means that He is friends with each of us. None of us can escape the title of a "sinner", and Jesus knows that.  He is the only one who can bridge the gap between perfection and imperfection.
Going to church every Sunday, memorizing every verse in the Bible, or volunteering at a homeless shelter doesn't make someone any better in Jesus' eyes.  He doesn't look at people the way we do, and thank goodness.  While He loves to praised and worshiped, He still loves us even when we fall short.
What does this mean for Christians?  It means that we are to be friends to sinners, to people like us, and to show God's love as best as we can at all times.  We are all His people, and we are responsible for bringing people to Him.  There is no where in the Bible that says we are to judge others because that's not our job.  We are to stand in our glass houses and praise Jesus without throwing rocks at people who sin differently than us.  Jesus calls us to confess our sins to one another, and to stand up for what is right.  The pride in us is what continues to tell us that we are better than our neighbor or friend or enemy.  Let us rejoice with one another that we are all loved endlessly!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is
not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8