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The “I am Thankful” list is endless….so I decided to focus on one thing. That sent me to thinking …what has God been discussing with me lately? Well, many things…but something stood out…The “Christian” of today. No, that’s not what I’m thankful for. Honestly, I’m quite the opposite. Lately, I have noticed unsavory trends among Christians. Maybe they’ve been around for a while, but I haven’t been hanging out with church people for too long. Anyway, where does the typical bible thumper get off? I’m not talking about divorce rates, “Sunday Christians”, bigotry, prosperity gospel lovers or even orange kool-aid drinkers (although all these things need to be addressed). I’m focusing on the new, scripture-spewing, judgmental, “us against them”, Pharisees….if you will. This new generation who are growing up in perfect, Mommy and Daddy married forever, quiver-full, liberal hating, don’t go near the sinners cause the stain might rub off on you-type families. (and before you bust a forehead vein…if I could go back in time I’d be married forever with a quiver full of home schooling, garden growing, skirt wearing, green bean canning, goat raising, farm living, Jesus loving little ones…you can have all this and not raise what I described above!!!!!) Unfortunately, that’s not normally the case… many such families are raising biblically proficient, socially illiterate kids whose one-sided opinions are a dime a dozen, but their doing nothing to make a change, much less are they living it …and the above situation can be changed to describe any family in any situation. So…to the point….are you raising road blocks or salt and light? Many are raising road blocks even if you want to think you’re not. Just a few years ago I was playing for the other team (Satan’s Flamethrowers)…and about 90% of “Christians” that I encountered were ROAD BLOCKS ….they in no way, shape or form demonstrated Christ to me. I was going to hell (even though I didn’t think so) and they knew it and they did nothing to stop it. Now that’s just stinkin’ sad. They looked down at me and treated me as if I were beneath them….like my sin might be catching. They had no interest in my salvation or eternal destination. And for the few who left me little prayer pamphlets ….I think you could have tried a bit harder. I know this is all critical …that there are some who try…but I can count on one hand those who made any effort at all ….and I was living deep in bitterness, hate and sin for about 23 years. These statistics bother me…maybe I take it personal …or maybe I’m just a pushover. Or maybe it’s because all those liberal, pro-choice, bitter people who live to satisfy their flesh represent my past…I was one of them …and proud of it. Enough testimony babble …What I was trying to say is that I know what it’s like on that side. I know how they feel about me (disciple of Christ) and I know nothing I can say will change their minds. But that doesn’t mean “give up”. I can pray (which I do desperately for some I left behind) and I can be their friend (even if only casual) and I can stop judging them. They (referring to ALL lost people in the world) do not care how many bible verses I have memorized. They care if I speak to them like an equal, they care if I reach my hand out to theirs, they care if I listen to their story and their opinion …they know if I am genuine …and if I am they will eventually look at my life …and THIS my friends is where Jesus likes to work. God will pursue us but He won’t force us …so when He has us cornered He likes to place people in our paths to SHOW us truth. God knows what we need to see and that is who He will use. I think this is where so many fall short (including me). Someone IS watching you …what do they see? Please take time to think about this. Do they see hypocrisy? Do they hear laughter as they walk by? Do they become part of your gossip? Do they feel the judgmental stare? Do they witness your excess when they are in need? How are you representing God to them? I think this is very important!!! Most people who are lost truly don’t know God. So you may be the only God they ever see…..most who represented God to me would have never encouraged me to want to know Him more (luckily I had experienced God as a child, so deep down in me was the truth) . This isn’t so for many others. God chased me for a long while and placed many in my path …most, I never noticed. But one man and his family were obedient to God. By that, I mean they were living Jesus out loud. God knew that I needed to see this family and their lives…this is part of the way God was winning me back. This man could have been rude to me or I could have witnessed him be a hypocrite …but that never happened. He would bring his family to the restaurant I worked at. I already knew him from my childhood …and respected him greatly. Over a two year period I watched them. They always said hello, they always asked how I was, and they always treated everyone with the same kindness and respect. When I was pregnant (and not married of course) they never made a rude comment and they never stopped treating me in the same kind manner. They didn’t knock me over the head with the bible and if they judged it certainly wasn’t evident. God used this man and his family to show me a better life. God knew that I wanted to give my daughter something more and He knew exactly what I needed to see. But what if Pastor Jim wasn’t living it out? What if he wanted to keep his children away from me…because I would be a bad influence? What if he thought himself so much better than me that he quit being nice? I know that he doesn’t even know that he played a significant role in my coming back to the Lord …but the Lord knows …and more important …now I know the Lord!!!!! So, I am thankful for Pastor Jim and his amazing family (some are now even my friends)….and of course they are a quiver full, home schooling family!!!!! So see, I’m not a hater….I was just giving an example before. I must keep in mind that some of you may not actually know me …so you should know that I also home school and share many of the values of the family type I was tearing apart before …it’s just a real example. Have a blessed Thanksgiving over there in America!!! Remember, God WILL use you and you probably WON’T know it!!!!!