Throw the baby out with the bath water. Have you ever heard that expression? When you give a baby a bath and you drain the dirty water out of the tub, are you going to ‘throw’ the baby out too because he/she was dirty? Of course not. However, sometimes we get in heated debates and arguments over right and wrong, choices people make, that we throw the ‘person’ out. Cruel and mean words may be spoken and personal attack that cuts deep in the heart. This can cause separations in family, friends, co-workers. Let’s consider. Behavior is different than the person, the individual… can you separate the two? Maybe instead, we can agree to disagree.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He who loveth not, loveth not God, for God is love. Beloved let us love one another, I John 4:7 &8.
Do you know the chorus that goes with these verses? I like it because it gives the Bible ‘address’ at the end, helps my memory, and it keeps the verse singing in my mind.
As Christians we are commanded to love one another, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, .. and love your neighbor as yourself. We are not to separate, put conditions on love, or only love those that we approve of their actions, or behavior. Love.
It may be hard at times to separate the person from the behavior. As parents it is a little easier to understand. We love our children, and sometimes they disobey, or they make choices that we know are harmful. Do we ‘kick them out’, so to speak, or stop loving them because of their choices? No! Neither does our heavenly Father. There is nothing that can separate us from our Father’s love and the love of Christ. Hallelujah!
Christians are on the defensive these days. Our country is changing from freedom ‘of’ religion, to freedom ‘from’ religion. Many times the argument is that we are judgmental, uncaring, and pointing a finger. Let’s not give them ammunition. Let’s make a point of always coming from a place of love, like Jesus. Love our neighbor, whoever that is. Love those who may not be lovely. Love those who make different choices. Keeping in mind that we love the person, we don’t have to love the behavior. It isn’t always easy, but it is important. As a matter of fact, it is crucial. Beloved, let us love one another.
If I am going to be criticized, I’d rather it be for loving too much, not judging.
Let’s keep the baby, and let the dirty bath water drain out.
Blessings
Delinda
QUESTION: What do you think about this? Can we separate the person from the behavior?
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Hi D- thanks so much for taking this journey with me- I so appreciate your kind words.
Amen me as well Delinda……I would rather be criticized for loving too much, rather than judging at all. Life is too short! Loved your blog and blessed by it, as always and you are fearless and right too the point!! Blessings!