Smocking

What is it about a little piece of paper wrapped around a plant, that can stir fear into the heart of Christians? We start to see the effects of that fear through judgment, a sense that the church will fall apart or even that people will drive past and say "They call themselves Christians and now look at them smoking".

 

I am sure there are bigger issues than smoking. I mean off the top of my head I could think maybe God would care more about poverty. Abuse, drugs, war, than a person putting a piece of paper in their mouth, but yet we find many churches shunning people who smoke before they walk in the door. Young people refuse to come into the church grounds if they are smoking or recently I had a conversation with some smokers, smoking in a dark hidden place behind the church in fear that someone would spot them and give them the lecture. Why do we as a Church not encourage honesty  but rather force people into hiding. It’s sad.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I have two parents who smoke and I cannot stand the habit. It is unhealthy and is not a good habit at all, but our job as Christians is not to change people but to love. LOVE!!!! God changes we love. But yet we find that we can’t do that we have to change them. Its weird Jesus accepted and loved people and challenged them later. I wish we could start getting people from judging which leads to hiding to loving which leads to liberation. Maybe this would lead people to come to church if they felt loved. Homosexuals, adulaters, and all who fall short of the glory of God.  I think the people who drive past and judge the smokers are probably Christians. Small fact the bible doesn't speak about smoking.