When Christians Lack Compassion

I’m never really sure most of the time where my inspiration will come from for my daily postings.  And, today’s post may be an example of how strangely my mind works at times; nevertheless, it is what it is.  The inspiration for today comes from the recent passing of Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth was a public figure and we knew a great deal about her because she was a celebrity and a celebrity’s life is fodder for all the news outlets.  We know she was married eight times; we know one of her husbands was married to someone else and left his wife for her; we know she had an affair with Richard Burton while filming Cleopatra, and we know she had substance abuse problems.  Something I didn’t know was she had converted to Judaism when she married Eddie Fischer.  And, for a Christian this says so much about the state of her soul when she left this world.  

The Bible I read tells me Jesus is the truth and the way and no one will see the Father unless they accept the Son.  It is through Jesus we have eternal life.  This would then lead me to believe she will not have eternal life and she has enjoyed all the glory she will receive on this earth.  Her eternity will not be pleasant.  And, this is a dreadful thought to me.  This is what saddens me about her passing.  

Now, to the real point of my posting today.  I read that the church whose members go around protesting at people’s funerals planned to be at hers.  I don’t know if they were there, but she would have been a person they would have targeted.  I am troubled by this group, who claim to be Christians.  I don’t want to say they aren’t because only God knows their hearts, but it seems to me they lack compassion for the lost.  Jesus says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, which leads me to the question – Do these self-righteous people ever think what it would do to their families when they die if a group decides to hold up signs pointing out their sins at their funerals?  We know all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so it's pretty safe to assume, these people have done some things that weren't pleasing to God.  

I know, as a Christian, I must follow what God says is right and wrong even if it means I am hated by the world.  And, if anyone asks me what my beliefs are about particular lifestyles and life choices, I will tell them what I really believe based upon what God has said.  However, I cannot in my wildest imagination see Jesus standing on the street holding up a sign which announces that the “gay soldier is in Hell now.”  He was a man of compassion.  He hates sin just as His Father does, but he loved people so much He died for their sins.  He died for my sins, for Elizabeth Taylor’s sins, and for these uncompassionate people who seem almost gleeful another soul may be in Hell.

I can think of nothing more awful than to think a person will be tormented for all eternity in the pit of Hell.  It causes my heart to feel grief and my soul to be burdened for all the lost people out there whose only exposure to Christianity may be a group of people who have no compassion for the lost or for the families who are grieving for their dead loved ones.  And, does it ever cross these people’s minds there may be family members who are grief stricken because they fear the worst for their loved one’s soul.  And, then they must be bombarded by hate as they lay this person to rest.

I can’t believe God is really pleased with behavior like that from His people.  And, I don’t believe they represent what real Christian people are.  They do, however, get plenty of attention, which I think tarnishes what real Christianity is, and unfortunately there will be many lost people who see them and say, “I would never do that.  If that’s what Christianity is, then I want no part of it.” 

In the end instead of turning people to God, they turn people away.  And, someday even they will stand before God Almighty and be required to give an accounting of what they have done.  I’m just wondering if He will ask them if they think He was pleased because their behavior caused people to turn from Him instead of run to Him.