The Cheerleader

I ran into a girl I knew in high school for the first time in years the other night. She was gorgeous, with flawless skin, beautiful smile, a voice I didn't think she deserved, and she was a cheerleader. I didn't think very much of her back then. It seemed she could be cruel at times and could dish it out but couldn't take it, which I abhor. She is a few years younger than me, and we were always only acquaintances. I remember being genuinely shocked when I found out she was the daughter of a preacher. And then, it was reported to me that she had called me a very rude name during one period of time after only knowing a very skewed half of the story. Needless to say, I didn't really like this girl. She left a bitter taste in my mouth, mainly because she genuinely hurt my feelings a couple of times without ever really knowing me.

When I ran into her at a city wide church event all these years later she was so sweet and smiled, and looked genuinely happy to see me and the minister I was with. At first, I was immediately on my guard. Is she faking it? What's she really thinking? But then I started to be introspective.  Because of Jesus, I am a COMPLETELY different person now than I was five years ago (actually almost six... weird). Those things don't define me anymore. And then I thought,  ya know, I'm judging her now in the exact same way I resented her for judging me all those years ago.

It struck me as so odd! Who knows if Jesus hasn't totally turned her into a different person? What if she was being genuinely nice? Doesn't she deserve the same chance to show who she as as I want people to give me?

Just like Paul and his sin of religiosity and persecution of the innocent, everybody has the chance to experience revolutionary change! And then, thanks God, those stupid disgusting mistakes of the past are wiped away, and though they may explain who we once were, they in no way DEFINE who we are today.

Now, that is true liberty.  That is true redemption.