Mutually Assured Destruction

There is a verse found in Matthew 7:2 that goes like this "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." It seems that many would assume that this applies to when we die and stand before God awaiting that scene from "Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames" to see if we are going to Heaven or Hell. Not the most accurate portrayal. None the less this is usually how this verse is interpreted. 

Awhile ago I did a message entitled, "A Biblical Perspective on Karma." What Karma believes (in a nutshell) is the phrase "what goes around, comes around." It seems I have read something similar to that in the scriptures as well. In fact just a few verses down in Matthew 7:12 it says "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Do you see where this is going? 

We all have something in our closet that if ever it came out the consequences could be devastating. Perhaps it is a thought or something you have actually done. Either way...it would not be good. These are areas where grace can go a long way. 

I remember sitting at a round table discussion with Pastor Ted Haggard and a handful of other pastors back in October. One pastor from Colorado said, "at our church on our leadership team, we have what's called mutually assured destruction." Needless to say this peeked my interest and instantly reminded me of the comic from Mad Magazine called "Spy vs. Spy". He went on to explain that this mutually assured destruction is a simple concept and keeps everyone in check. Inevitably in any church, business, etc. you will have someone who wants to pull a power-play and try to stir up lots of garbage to promote them-self. This pastor simply said to his leadership team, "if you ever try to pull this with me...rest assured I know enough stories about you that you will go down." WOW! How can this be? Is this even "Christlike"? Then I was reminded of the verse in Matthew 7:2. 

Fact of the matter is that we are all on this faith journey together. The minute one of us thinks we have all of our stuff together is the moment we could easily be reminded of a non-flattering moment in our past. If we are going to point out and judge someone for what they did or didn't do...you ought to be ready for that person or someone else to bring to light something from your past as well. Personally I prefer to walk in grace realizing we are all a bunch of knuckleheads moving forward and forgetting the past but looking forward to the future with great anticipation and hope.