Strain at a Gnat

Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

            It is imperative that the people we associate ourselves with are anointed and able to see the truth. It a natural instinct of man to judge his fellowman while being quick to indicate his faults while ignoring his own. This is a great hindrance to the anointing. When we find ourselves surrounded by people who constantly bombard us with our shortcomings, we are forced into becoming overly analytical of ourselves and our walk with God. A perfect example of the cruelty of man is seen when the woman who was found in the act of adultery was about to be stoned. John 8:3-11.

Here is an expressive look at what probably occurred to that woman and how Jesus was not quick to judge her. This is from the woman’s perspective.

Run to him

They were chasing me, I knew I was about to die

I remember the voices of angry men shouting ‘Kill her, Kill her’

My breath was now gone but I had to run

Ever time I tried to hide they would find me

In the crowd I saw men that used me, abused me

The same vile men now desired to stone me for sins they themselves shared

This was the end for me

I was caught in the act of adultery

I probably really did deserve to die

After all no god will ever let a person like me live

I ran and ran and ran until there were no more places to run

I couldn't take another step

My legs were too weak

The rapid beating of my weary heart was overshadowed only by my gasps for breath and the shouts of men who hated me

I called the names of those I knew but they looked the other way

Maybe by my death they felt as if their sins would be erased somehow

With a hundred hands tugging at me I felt the skin on my back separate from the flesh as I was dragged through the street

Help me, help me, I cried but no one seemed to hear

The crowd just laughed and jeered some exclaimed ‘the curse of God be upon you’

I remember being thrown against a wall for they were getting ready to stone this unclean woman

I closed my eyes as tight as I could ready to accept this end

The voices became clearer with my eyes shut that tight

I heard one man ask ‘what should we do with this woman for she is a whore and an adulteress

Moses said the she should be stoned what do you say?

To whom was this question posed?

Slowly…… I opened my eyes to see the figure of a man stooping

His slim fingers neatly carved a word into the dust that overlaid that wretched road

This man wasn't like the other men he seemed kind

What was he writing? I looked as hard as I could, momentarily forgetting my ordeal

I could not believe my eyes, he was writing my name

But no one called me by that name since I was a child

My parents died when I was young and they were the last to call me by that name

Moses said the she should be stoned what do you say? The voice of some angry man quickly returned me to the present situation

The goodly looking stranger looked up and said to my accusers

Those of you that are without sin cast the first stone

There was silence no man could condemn me for they were all born in sin

Every man dropped his rock and walked away

That stranger was the son of God for wisdom like that only comes from God

Then he asked me, "Where are your accusers?"

“Rabboni,” I said in fear “I see none”

He leaned over to me and gently said

“Neither do I condemn you”

I felt as if I was too dirty to behold a man as pure as him

Then he said to me, “Daughter”

When he called me daughter I felt better that when my own daddy did it

Plus he actually claimed me when the world forsook me

He said, “Daughter, your sins are forgiven you, go and sin no more”

            We are so hasty to judge one another but the church as one body is supposed to collectively embrace the deep things of God. The bible encourages us to seek God as a group. This is evident when the bible declares; where the two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst of them. We look at the splinter that is in our brother’s eye never beholding the beam that is in our own. A person will never grow spiritually if he is constantly badgered by the concept that he is not is worthy to receive from God because he is found in iniquity.

            While we are quick to compromise with the poorly disguised wolves that lurk among the flock we are quick to cast stones of condemnation upon our brothers and sisters that are trying to acquire a deeper anointing in God. Let it be known that even if the true anointed is cast down he will not be destroyed. A good man may fall seven times but seven times he will get back up. The time is now, when the anointed to the bone Christians will arise and shine because the Sun of Righteousness is about to rise upon the church.

            Instead of spending time in search of a gnat, tiny flies in the ointment, let us lift up our eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help. We must eliminate sin and embrace our brother but sometimes it seems as if we embrace sin and eliminate our brothers.  The anointing is what propels the church into every new move of God but if she is divided then she could never stand.