Having a Heart Free From Judgment
At the beginning of the month, I went with a team from Bound4LIFE Kansas City to help launch a new Bound4LIFE chapter in Southern Illinois at Community of Faith Church in Marion, Illinois. The church has a long history of Pro-LIFE ministry standing on sidewalks outside of abortion clinics available to counsel women. They also began a home for pregnant mothers who needed a place of refuge. Two years ago, the entire Pro-LIFE ministry ended abruptly. Recently, the pastor and his staff went to Kansas City. They visited our Bound4LIFE KC Silent Siege at Planned Parenthood. They determined to do the same thing in their state. So, our team shared the vision of Bound4LIFE. I shared many of the stories from the first Silent Siege at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. I also sang my song “Voiceless” from my new CD, “Mighty Warrior”.
The next morning, we journeyed to East St. Louis to the infamous Hope Clinic. They perform over 5,000 procedures a year specializing in late-term abortions. It was so hard to watch pregnant women go inside the clinic. As I stood in silent prayer, on the other side, a man screamed from the Bible at the women as they went in. His tone of condemnation caused the women to run as fast as they could into the clinic. The Holy Spirit convicted me, “How many times have you stood out here, yes in silence, but with judgment in your heart towards the men and women that go in?” 
The Holy Spirit led me to Romans 1 and 2. At the end of Romans 1, Paul lists many wicked sins but then warns the reader, “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” (Romans 2:1) How many times have I practiced the same things that I have been judging the men and women for practicing? Sure, I’ve never murdered anyone, but I have murdered my brother with my hatred (1 John 3:15, 2:9-11, Matthew 5:21, 22). The list could go on, but I’ll leave the list between me and the Lord. As I pondered these things, a Hope Clinic volunteer passed by. I looked right into her eyes. I wondered, Do my eyes have the compassion and mercy of Christ in them yet? Or does she only see judgment? It was a real time of soul searching. I obviously do not condone anyone who gets an abortion. It’s clearly murder. However, let the one who has no sin cast the first stone (John 8:7).
