Do not be quick to judge

As I have looked through my Facebook page through the last month it has been covered in people's thoughts on Mars Hill Church. I was quick to judge and my husband laughed at me! I never said anything to him about laughing at me. This morning I realized why Jaron laughed at me. He laughed because that is exactly what we have been going through. Please know I do not know the truth at Mars Hill Church, but just about our situation. People have lied about me... about us... about our ministry in the last 6 months. Jaron and I have not been the only ones hurt. Our pastor has been attacked spiritually and emotionally for years. Our music minister has also been under attack. I have never seen anything like this before. Some have been partial truths and other out right lies. My favorite is that apparently my husband and I lived together before we married. We actually never kissed before our wedding day! We had alarms set every day that Jaron would leave and go home to his parents house and his mom would call if he was late to make sure we didn't fall asleep to avoid the appearance of evil! We had tons of safe guards including keeping windows open! Some of the lies came from a former student who dated my brother-in-law and became mad when they broke up. The part that hurts are that people have believed the lies. Jaron and I try hard to live our lives above reproach and when things like this come up we are just baffled. Throughout the last month people have come to me and apologized for spreading lies, others have left our church to get out of the drama, and still others have joined because they see God working in our church and in the student ministry. God has definitely humbled us through this process. I am constantly reminded of a verse my mom and I memorized when I was a kid.

 James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

I don't know what you are dealing with today. You might feel like you are being attacked, but just remember we are to produce the righteousness that God desires. I am continually trying to live this way. I pray you are as well. When people talk about you, let them talk. Others know the truth by how you live.