There is, sometimes, a fine line between condemning bad viewpoints and the people who hold them. Our youngest son had come home for lunch. "Great program today, Dad," he offered enthusiastically. "I didn’t like it," I responded, somewhat dejectedly. Actually, I thought the program contained some pretty good teaching, if I do say so myself. It was one of those rare days when I thought I had succeeded in saying what I wanted to say, what I thought needed saying. It may well have been the best program for that week. "Really, Dad, why didn’t you like it?" he asked in mild surprise. "I thought my tone of voice was too harsh," I replied. "As I listened to Jim Kirkwood, I didn’t like him. I can see how others listening might not like him." I had sounded like a man more interested in winning an argument than in presenting truth; more interested in vanquishing an opponent than in magnifying Christ. Truth is so important! The truth of God is so infinitely important that it should never be sacrificed on the altar of the teacher’s ego. Some people will only catch the radio program once in their entire lifetimes, and to have them turn away from the great Grace truths being introduced because the one expounding them sounds that day like "the Grinch who stole Christmas" is tragic.

I read a book by a former Jehovah’s Witness. He told of ringing doorbells for ten years and of having countless evangelicals treat him unkindly, even rudely, sometimes calling him unflattering names and frequently slamming the door in his face. Then one day he rang the doorbell of an evangelical who welcomed him, listened politely, questioned gently, and graciously presented Christ to him. This believer treated him as one should treat a fellow human being, if I understand the Scriptures. He recognized him first as a person created by God and died for by Christ, and only then as a cultist. Oh, that all of us Christians might always do that! Oh, that I might learn to do that consistently! It wasn’t long before the Christian led the cultist to saving faith in Christ. Of course, the Holy Spirit was the real soulwinner; He always is! But the Christian had won a hearing for Him by his courtesy, his patience, his humility and his gentleness.

McLaren said, "Be kind, nearly everyone you meet in life is fighting a battle." This Jehovah’s Witness was fighting one. He was beginning to have doubts about what he was taught in Kingdom Hall. He was ready to begin listening to someone with answers, but all the Christians were too busy slamming their doors to lead the man to Christ. This cultist was lucky; he met a Christian who was kind. Will some cultist be lucky to meet you?

A group of Christians in Kentucky used to send me their monthly paper. Ninety percent of that periodical was an attack on other denominations, a scathing denunciation of famous Christian leaders. It always made me sad to read it even though some of the information in it was correct. I finally asked to be removed from their mailing list--something I almost never do because I feel that nearly everyone has something to teach us. Warren Wiersbe says that he can learn more from those with whom he disagrees than from those with whom he agrees. That is a healthy concept. The Jews have an old proverb, "He is a wise man who can learn from fools," reflecting the same sentiment. You are rich indeed if you make every man your teacher. I just couldn’t subject my mind to so much negativism any longer.

Occasionally someone will give me a periodical written by a Bible School president in the great southeast. He tells of his unfortunate and difficult childhood. I believe him. He has never gotten over the blows he received early in life. He allowed them to make him bitter, and today he seems to hate just about everyone in the world. I cannot read his material; it is too defamatory. He makes his living trashing other Christians. Some of what he says is true, but the value of his sharing it is lost because he forfeits a hearing with all those who feel the wounds that he inflicts on others.

I knew a Pentecostal pastor once, a kind, and generous, and loving man. His name was Joseph Payne. Once I asked him how, though a former British prizefighter, he could have become such a gentle person. He told me a story. He and his wife had been missionaries in Mongolia. One day their three year old became deathly ill. The nearest medical help was seven days journey across the Mongol Desert by ox cart. He had made it half way when the little girl died. All alone he knelt in the middle of nowhere and buried his only child in a cardboard box with only God to attend the ceremony. "Jim," he said, "I had a decision to make. I knew I would leave that graveside a bitter man growing more bitter each day for the rest of my life, or a broken man made tender by great loss. I asked God to make me tender."

Most of us have marvelled at the gentleness of Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps you recall the story of the Cabinet member who upbraided Lincoln for treating his enemies as friends instead of destroying them. Lincoln simply smiled and said softly, "When I make my enemies my friends, haven’t I destroyed my enemies?"

All Believers should sit in judgment on bad doctrine. We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), "Citizens of Heaven on loan to Planet Earth," and properly condemning error while vindicating truth is a responsibility that goes with the turf. Condemning other people is an entirely different matter. It is not the time for us to be judges; it is a time for us to be saviors. If we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, the person we are seeking to minister to may abandon his error tomorrow, or perhaps not. If he doesn’t, at least we have been the type of people God wants us to be. Then too, but for the Grace of God we might be holding that error today, or maybe even a worse one. God has had much patience with all of us, and most of us have had many teachers. Haven’t those teachers influenced us most who sought to earn a hearing with us?

In my honest moments, I must admit that keeping Jim Kirkwood straight is a full-time job. If you find me sweeping your front porch, you can be sure that mine is being neglected, for before I get mine completely swept it has started to need sweeping again.

"Who are you to judge another man’s servant, to his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand...let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way" (Romans 14:4,13).

Saviors or Judges, which will we be? God has made His choice...now WE must make OURS!