Was my attitude pious?

Revelation 13:13-18

I grew up at a time in history that was great in many ways, first I lived in the United States of America, even better, I lived in Texas, and to top that off, I lived in Corpus Christi, a small town of about seventy-five thousand people.  I was blessed to be part of a family of five, with a Dad and Mother who loved us and loved God and the things of God.  Many of my friends are from Corpus Christi, I’ve known many of them since elementary school and middle school and we still keep in touch by email, and some of us try to spend a few days together each year in the hills of Texas.

A few years back about forty of us attended an open house and got to see many people whom we had not seen in forty years.  A childhood friend, who I had not seen since high school but had emailed often, and who I respect very much, sent out an email to a person who was not there, and he meant it for her eyes only, but some how it got to the bigger group.  He was sharing his observations of each of us, and how we had changed, since high school.  When he got to me, he said, “Bobby Rice was there, and he still looks like Bobby Rice,” (I was hoping he was talking about my youthful looks) but he was not finished,  “He is overly religious, Jesus is too much in his heart, he prays too much and you know that he is looking at you with a judging eye, knowing in his heart that you are bound for hell fire and damnation, eternity with the beast and false prophets, where fire is never quenched and worm dieth not.”  My friend was very embarrassed that his thoughts and observations had gotten such wide exposure, and my first thought was, did I come across as some kind of “better than you” religious person?  Was my attitude pious, was I acting like I was better than those who I had driven so far to see and renew relationships?

As I reflect back on that day, I am reminded that the way someone else sees you, is the way you are to him or her.  That does not have anything to do with the accuracy of the statement, and I wonder why my friend used the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet in his example of what he envisioned I was thinking.  I’ve always believed he was using them to make the point that I came over to him as some pious religious guy.

I thought it would be fitting to enclose some of my reply to my dear old school buddy; “I just got back from San Francisco and read many e-mails about your e-mail.  I know you, and I do not believe you meant to send that to the group.  As always your observations were entertaining to read.  I was not sure from other e-mails what you had said about me, but I am not mad.  The part about and I quote “Jesus is too much in his heart, he prays too much” is the nicest thing you could have said.

I hope you believe me in this, I did not come to the party to judge anyone and I did not leave with any bad thoughts or opinions of anyone there.  I do not know what is in a man’s heart, and often I mess up this Christian life, to be the judge of another.

I will tell you this, because I love you, that in my opinion, the only thing that counts in this life is what we do with this man called Jesus.  Is the invitation still open to come see you guys?  If so Jan and I would like to do so, and I promise not to bring my Bible or the False prophet.  And the Beast guy is too spooky for me.”

Your Friend,