Why are Christians so Rigid or Are They?

Psalm 119:49-56

English Standard Version (ESV)

Zayin

49 

Remember your word to your servant,
    in which you have made me hope.

50 

This is my comfort in my affliction,
    that your promise gives me life.

51 

The insolent utterly deride me,
    but I do not turn away from your law.

52 

When I think of your rules from of old,
    I take comfort, O Lord.

53 

Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
    who forsake your law.

54 

Your statutes have been my songs
    in the house of my sojourning.

55 

I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
    and keep your law.

56 

This blessing has fallen to me,
    that I have kept your precepts.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A49-56&version=ESV

Often times Christians are thought to be self-righteous but that is not true at all.  Christians are only righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Christians are also perceived to be judgmental, hard-nosed, intolerable, rigid, and of course, not politically correct.  Because of this many people decide that Christianity is not for them.  Some of the perception of Christians may in some ways be correct.  But is that wrong?  Should Christians be more tolerable and accepting of others?

What non-Christians do not see is what Christians do see, God’s word.  What non-Christians don’t understand are the ways of God.  What Christians understand is that God’s word brings us hope.  Non-Christians do not have hope through Christ so they struggle with trying to be satisfied in this life.  They gain hope from their success, their money, and their actions.  Some find peace through drugs, alcohol, and sex.  Never being fully satisfied because once the high is gone there is emptiness once again.  They may see Christians who seem to have it all together and they think they must be fake because no one should be so satisfied.  They begin to look for the faults of the Christian and in turn accuse the Christians as being the one that is the hypocrite. 

The Christian, on the other hand, who seeks God with all their heart, is one who understands that God is in control.  They understand that His word is truth.  They know that His ways are made clear and the wrong path leads to destruction.  Their whole entire being is focused on pleasing God, their creator, because He is worthy of praise, honor and glory.  Anything that goes against the ways of God is looked upon as an injustice to the One we serve.  Sin is sickening to the Christian but Christians are not exempt from sin but rather forgiven through Christ.  It is not the right of the Christian to sin, when they do sin they should recognize it as sin and repent.  A true Christian will strive to live a life pleasing to God and always focused on the things to be not that the things that are.

These scriptures today points out to us that we need to know God’s word.  We need to be sickened by sin whether it is ours or the sin of the world in which we live.  We need to recognize it and run from it.  We need to also know that it is a blessing from God that we are who we are and that He has allowed our eyes to be opened and to see Him.  We need to show love to others as Christ did.  We need to live in this world but not take part in its rebellion against God.  We need to seek Him in order to know His ways, to understand His laws, in order to love Him more deeply and to have the strength to keep His commandments.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila