SCRIP-BITS

And then it was Saturday, a supposed day of rest, but unfortunately for many, an even busier day than normal; what with all the household chores that don’t get done during the week to catch up on. But nonetheless, many of us just lay on the couch, like the couch potatoes we want to be, and let the world go by. What a wonderful idea! Especially in the northern climes, on a dark and gloomy day like today when the snow is expected to fly sometime this afternoon. 

Yuh know it’s nice sometimes to just sit or stand by your window and simply watch and admire the dazzling white flakes come floating down from high heaven, like mankind, each one different to the other, and then just pile up on each other to make such a beautiful picture! Oh, our God is so inventive eh! (smile) 

Anyway, since it’s Saturday, let’s see what quotes our friend Anselm sent us this week, as he keeps aspiring to inspire us for a better tomorrow. And the first one simply says: ‘A wise man can play the part of a clown, but a clown can’t play the part of a wise man.’  I don’t know about that nuh, because to be a successful clown, you also need to be wise. 

Yes! How else will you make your audience appreciate your antics…and you also need to have a wide repertoire of them to ensure some success. But I guess generally speaking, especially with the poor quality of ‘clownship’ that we have nowadays, where everyone considers himself or herself a joker, the quote might hold true. (smile) 

And then there’s: ‘If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success.’ That’s generally true because the naysayers simply stir up the pot to a different level, and without them it won’t boil and bubble and overflow its lip and cause contention and more notice than otherwise possible. (smile) 

Now hear this one: ‘So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.’ And there seems to be some truth to it; note the old adage, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease.’ I know that many of us have had our feathers ruffled when we behave nicely, then see some rude, mouthy person show up and get what we wanted, just because of their unmannerly behaviour. 

And I sadly believe that’s the way our world is going these days. Everybody is loudly bitching and complaining about something! Our world is in an uproar like it’s never seen before. And this last quote ought to bring some perspective to our insights. (smile) 

‘Don’t be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn’t do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know today.’ Now on a basic level that’s quite true, we should not be quick to condemn others because they’re not at our level, and remember that one time we were just as daft as them. (smile) 

But I really want to deal with that quote from a Christian point of view, especially in light of Jesus’ immortal words: ‘Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.’ It couldn’t be any clearer that that my believing brethren! 

And the scholars explain thus: ‘6:37. Judge can mean “to distinguish,” or to “consider carefully.” Jesus does not forbid this (John 7:24). Here he warns rather against high-handed condemnation of others. It is God’s task ALONE to render a judgement that condemns.’ 

Oh how I wish that more of us, including believers, would adhere to those words, for there’s so much condemnation going on in our current society, especially with the social media scene, that it’s like a pandemic, all around the world. And if you didn’t listen to how Luke put it, then listen to Matthew’s version. 

‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt.7:1-2) Yeh friends, like a boomerang, whatever you send out, it will indeed come back to you, and oftimes with much more severity. 

And none of us likes that. We LOVE to utter condemnations, with little or no knowledge on the subject, but when we’re judged in the same manner, we’re quick to get agitated and all up in arms. As the old people would say; ‘do so ent like so.’ Yeh, we don’t like others doing to us, what we’ve done to them. 

Now here is some more useful info from the scholars. ‘7:1-4. Judge not refers to an unfavourable and condemnatory judgement. This does not mean that a Christian should never exercise judgement of any kind under any circumstances. The point being made here is that we are not to judge the inner motives of another. 

 We are not to render a verdict based upon prejudiced information. Nor are we to use ourselves as the standard of judgement for with what…ye mete (measure) you shall be judged. That ye be not judged refers to the ultimate judgement of God rather than our own judgement.’ 

Ah mih people, unfortunately a lot of the judging going on in our world today is of the prejudiced kind. We see and don’t really understand, but still we judge, we condemn out of hand. But let that happen to us nuh…the whole world will hear about it. Friends, to avoid all of that, let’s not judge, or worse yet condemn, without knowing what we’re talking about nuh. Let’s follow these words of Jesus: ‘Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.’ (John 7:24) 

And furthermore, let’s judge like we’d like to be judged nuh. Remember the Golden Rule, Jesus’ pronouncement for godly and fair living? ‘Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.’ (Matt.7:12) 

What a way we’ve forgotten that simple but ever so wonderful way to live. Please my people, let’s bring it back into vogue nuh, it would certainly warm and please the cockles of Jesus’ heart and make our world such a wonderful place to live! Much LOVE!

…you reap what you sow…later…and more abundantly too…