Don't Judge God by a Christian's Behaviour 🧐
Verse: "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8.
Weve all done it. A massive mistake we can make is judging Jesus by the people who claim to follow Him. Christians are still people. We all have flaws, blind spots, bad days, pride to deal with and lessons we're still learning. Some believers are incredibly loving. Others can be harsh, controlling, hypocritical or deeply hurtful. But none of those people are the standard. Jesus is.
If someone has wounded you in church, spoken to you with condemnation instead of grace, or made you feel pushed away from God, I'm genuinely sorry that happened. But don't let someone's behaviour convince you that's who God is. Human beings can misrepresent Him. Jesus never does.
When you read the Gospels, you'll notice something interesting. Jesus was often hardest on the religious leaders because they knew the Scriptures but didn't reflect God's heart. At the same time, He welcomed ordinary people who were struggling, broken and searching. He wasn't interested in appearances. He was interested in people's hearts.
It's easy to think, "If that's what Christians are like, I don't want anything to do with God." But imagine refusing medical treatment because one doctor was rude, or deciding never to eat at a restaurant again because one waiter gave poor service. We naturally separate the person from what they represent in everyday life. We should do the same with our faith.
The enemy would love nothing more than for bad experiences with people to become barriers between you and Jesus. Don't give him that victory. Keep seeking God for yourself. Read the Bible yourself. Pray honestly, even if you're frustrated. Ask God to show you who He really is.
The more time you spend with Jesus, the more you'll discover His character. He's patient, gentle, truthful, faithful and full of mercy. He doesn't manipulate, shame or play games with people. He calls us closer, heals what is broken and gently transforms us over time.
People will always let us down eventually. Every single one of us will fail someone at some point. But God never changes. His goodness isn't dependent on how well Christians represent Him. His love remains constant.
So today, if you've been disappointed by people, don't walk away from Jesus because of them. Walk towards Him. Let Him introduce Himself, not through someone else's behaviour, but through His own words, His own presence and His own love.
✝️ ❤️ ✝️
