Last week, I was sitting in my recliner watching the evening news, when there was a news item that made me sit up and listen. It concerned the recent appointment of Gordon Dirk as the new education minister in Alberta. Now, government appointments are nothing new, but in this case there are those who want to make it an issue because of Dirk’s Christian beliefs. There are some who believe that Dirk may or may not be good for the job because they think that Dirk will not give equal and fair treatment to gay students. Some call him unfit for the job while others say Dirk’s appointment should be rescinded. Others were saying Dirk cannot be trusted because of his beliefs. I find such statements unfortunate. In a nation where there is suppose to be freedom for a person to believe what they choose, religious or otherwise, it seems some feel it is still OK to be critical of another person and their beliefs while not entertaining any criticism of their own.
When I heard this news item, I was reminded of the words of Jesus who said in Luke 6:31, “And just as you want men to treat you, treat them in the same way.” In other words, if you want others to treat you fairly and with understanding, then you need to treat them in the same way. Now, I am not saying that you and I have to agree with the views of either side of this issue. We each make our own decision as to where we stand.
We may not agree, but we do need to respect each other and realize that judging is not our job, it’s God’s. And yet there is a power in judging others, intoxicating power. God doesn’t compare us to each other, we’re not the standard.
God is. When you meet someone who holds a different point of view, are you kind? Are you respectful? Are you willing to leave the person to God?
This column is submitted by Tri-Community Baptist Church in Beiseker.
