Getting Boxed In
Yesterday we had to fill in a health/lifestyle questionnaire. There were some questions on it where no answers exactly fitted – but you had to choose one. It was very interesting to see how you are being analysed, BUT I hate the feeling that I am being put into a box, be it because of how I dress, how many cars I own, what our household income is, or any other bizarre criteria someone wishes to use. I always have, and the rebel in me wants to throw in a curve ball every so often, just to make sure I’m not neatly pigeon-holed.
Yet putting people in boxes – quite simply judging them – is something we do all the time. People we hope won’t come and sit next to us when they get on the bus; people we assume will react in a certain way because of how they look, or where they come from; what we think of someone because of the car they drive (or don’t drive) – the list is endless. All day we are making decisions about other people.
Prejudice is something James warns us about. He challenges us about how we respond differently to people we have made snap judgements about because of appearances. And points us back to God, who sees the hearts and intentions of each and every one of us – not the way we dress them up. He reminds us that we are not the ones to judge, and to do so is wrong.
If we start trying to make judgements on other people and their lifestyles, where does that leave us? For that is not the way to behave. We are reminded there is no such thing as a small sin, or a big sin – a sin is a sin, and if we have done wrong we are as guilty as whatever we might suppose someone else is. Making a judgement call on someone else is not our role – to help them is.
If we see someone in need, we should not discriminate them, shun them, avoid them, or sit in grand superiority over them. After all, in any circumstance, there but for the grace of God, and circumstance of life, goes any of us. Rather if we see a need, we are to respond to it. What good is it if we have faith, but don’t show it by practical action? It’s no good saying to someone, “Stay warm and eat well”, unless we’re going to do something to make that happen in their lives. Don’t judge someone’s life – do what you can to help them. Not in a patronising, do-gooding kind of way, but in response to what God has done in our lives.
There’s an old saying, “If you were put on trial for being a christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” What would be the answer for that question in our lives today?
Pam's Perambulation 
You are making us all think carefully about the little actions we take (or choose not to take)!
Its easy to cross the road from the Big Issue seller, to turn your ipod up when someone asks you for 20p for a cup of coffee or just to slot the people around you on the train into the neatly arranged pidgeon holes in your head.
Its much more difficult to take actions – however little they may be.