I talk to a lot of different people as many of you do, and since I tend toward the prophetic type crowd, it's funny to hear how people will say, "That person is a strange bird." You know that they mean the person seems unusual to them.
If they justify the statement with something like "but they seem to be ok," then you are getting their approval that they seem to be Godly anyway, but if they don't justify it, it leaves you to keep your caution up.
Godly people and especially prophetic type people are not easily understood. God's ways are not man's ways. God knows how to weed out the crowd! He will call for commitment to Him and if people are not willing to commit, then they will leave.
This is one reason I believe that Jesus said to the people, if you can't believe for the words (or arguements) sake, believe because of the goodness of the miracles! It was His endorsement.
Like the blind man who said: "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see!" Then they [the Pharisees] said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" (John 9:26-27)
This man was willing to say he did not know. It's ok not to know everything if you are at least on the road of His discipleship.
But we know today, too, from the Word that there are many deceivers gone out into the world. The eleven disciples did not discern Judas who would betray Him. They each asked, "Is it I?"
There are Judases, sad to say!!! But we cannot judge, only seek to discern by their fruit.
As disciples, we also can be deceived as they were, and even Jesus said in Matthew 24:24 "For there shall arise false Christs [or anointed ones], and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
Because of this, we must hold to our own integrity and not only judge ourselves but invite the accountability from others in our lives. Deceivers do get found out!
Jesus said in John 3:20-21 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
Sometimes it is hard for people to expose their weaknesses because they have been harshly judged in the past. But if they never do and seem to talk always about you but never about them, it could be a form of lying flattery.
People who love Jesus want to change and go from glory to glory and they will! They may be called "strange birds" but as they change for Him, their integrity will increase and their light will shine before men.
One of the Spiritual gifts is "discerning of spirits." Just as we are exhorted to pray for and covet the best gifts, be sure to include that one! Only you can be accountable before God for you in the Day of Judgment.
Paul said in I Cor. 11: (NIV)
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death until he comes.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Body and Blood of
the Lord.
We are the Body of Christ!!!
28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks
of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the Body of the
Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. [or have died]
31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.
32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we
will not be condemned with the world.
You may be strange, but I hope you will be singing His Song!
God bless you!
Pam Clark