The (not so) Do Gooder

**I posted this a few months ago but in light of what’s laying heavy on my heart, I thought I’d re-post it today. I can’t emphasize enough how much actions speak louder than words. I think it’s the lamest thing in the world when people who claim to love God & his people think nothing of treating other Christians in a negative fashion. Whether it’s by being apathetic towards their lives, talking negatively and judging each other or even just the simple act of not being friendly and nice towards them. It really bothers me that the same people out witnessing to “the lost” and preaching the gospel to “all that need to hear” are the same ones that think nothing of slandering other believers. Saved or not saved, every life is important and every feeling has the ability to get hurt. Just because some claim to have a relationship with Jesus and others think Jesus is a curse word, it doesn’t mean anyone should be treated differently. We all get offended, we all need friends and we all deserve the respect of each other.**

^“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

- Galatians 6: 9-10

The other day I was reading my Bible and had to stop when I came across this scripture. Ever read something and think you know what it means, but then one day see it under a new and different light? Well I did this day. I understand the whole don’t give up part. I understand the do good part. I even understand the “to all people” part. But what about that last part that we quickly read to finish the sentence? “Especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Now why in the world does it say that? It just said to do good to all people. That includes believers. Why repeat it? Well if there’s one thing I’ve learned about God’s word, it’s that He doesn’t repeat things unless they’re important and need to be called out. So that brings me to today’s thought. Why is it that people reading the bible (Christians) have to be told to do good to those who belong to the family of believers (Christians)? Seems to me, Christians fighting Christians isn’t a new thing. People arguing and backstabbing that believe in the same God isn’t a new concept. It’s sad that we need to be reminded that of course we should do good to the poor and needy and searching and lost…but also our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can’t take them for granted or treat them any different than we would the cashier we just smiled at. Christians ignoring other Christians or not reaching out to them because they’re already saved is the most bogus concept I’ve ever heard…yet it happens so often that we excuse it. We think saving the lost and witnessing to others is more important than doing good to our kinda needy, annoying Christian brother.

I think it’s time Christians start looking at their actions towards EVERYONE and see what it really looks like.