GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION
Can you IMAGINE=can you
PLACE yourself with Jesus=at the table
And all the "SINNERS"
He hung out with?
"When he was at table
In his house=
Many tax collectors
And SINNERS
Came and sat with Jesus
And his disciples" Matthew 9:10
Jesus never SHIED AWAY
From anyone=he gave everyone
The BENEFIT of the doubt=
He judged BY YOUR HEART
And he was judged by others=
To be GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION
Sitting at table with "SINNERS"
Makes Jesus=ritually IMPURE
And GUILTY by ASSOCIATION
It is the judgment
By some
Of the OBSERVERS
How about you?
Do you give others-
THE BENEFIT=of the doubt?
Do you LOOK
AT THEIR HEARTS=
Or do you judge people
BY their appearances?
"Do not make friends
With a hot-tempered person
Do not ASSOCIATE
With one easily angered" Proverbs 22:24
"LIve in harmony-
With one another
Do not be proud
But be willing=to ASSOCIATE
With people of low position=
Do not be conceited" Romans 12:16
Jesus didn't judge=he was
NOTHING like conceited=
He was open to ALL=
Even to me and you
WHO ARE WE
At the table?
Are we the tax collectors?
Those who are BROKEN=and in
Dire need of healing?
Are we the Pharisees?
Rigidly deciding who belongs
And who does not
Or are we like Jesus=
BEING OPEN=to all others
Being willing to be JUDGED
By who we ASSOCIATE WITH=
Good people with GOOD HEARTS
But GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION!
Are you open=are you LOVING
To the yearning faces=who look
To you FOR HOPE?
BE open to a person
With a GOOD HEART=even if
You are found to be
GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION
"MY HEART is stirred
By a noble theme
As I recite
My verses=for the king=
My tongue=is the pen
Of a skillful writer" Psalm 45:1
So be LIKE JESUS-
Have an OPEN HEART=and
Give people a CHANCE
Don't be worried-
If you are judged
GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION=
You are AT THE TABLE
With Jesus
In Jesus' name=and in the name of our ever BENEFIT GIVING FATHER!
Robert P. Wallman
7-1-2021
Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Sr. Chris Koellhoffer, I.H.M.
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