I Hate That Color on You

Scripture: Jude 22-23 – “And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.” (NRSVUE)

Generally speaking, the letters or epistles of the New Testament are written because someone is being a jerk. This is the case with the Letter of Jude. The author, who identifies himself as Jude the brother of James, is writing to a church that is in danger. “Certain intruders” have taken root in the community and spread sin and corruption by their actions. Jude takes a harsh approach, comparing the intruders to enemies of God throughout the Bible that were destroyed.

But despite his fiery language, Jude has sympathy for the struggles people are having to keep that faith. He asks the people of the church to show mercy on others, just as Jesus showed mercy to them. People who need mercy include those who are wavering in their faith or need to be snatched out of fire, probably the metaphorical fires of serious mistakes. But Jude recommends approaching others with caution. He writes, “Have mercy on still others with fear…” In other words, be careful with such people, because they are just as likely to pull you down as you are to raise them up. Regardless, Jude suggests helping, even if you hate “the tunic defiled by their bodies.”

How do we deal with these kinds of people in our lives? The people who seem to ruin everything they touch. I think Jude is right that we need to show a little caution. It is very easy to get hurt or to enable them to continue destructive behavior. But I think that, as Christians, we can’t just write them off as irredeemable.

Using Jude’s imagery, imagine this person in your life as wearing a tacky outfit. I am talking actually inappropriate, not just garish or outdated. How would you handle that? You could ignore the problem to not make a fuss. You could take a hard stand against their fashion choice and demand they change their outfit and their behavior. But the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. You need to point out a problem without making the problem seem like something intrinsic to them as a person. That’s tricky.

I am somewhat reluctant to use this phrase because it has been used so destructively, but we need to think about “loving the sinner and hating the sin.” The problem with this phrase is that is often applied to people whose “sin” is an essential part of who they are. What I am talking about is pointing at specific behaviors that might be separating the person from being the best person they can be while demonstrating true compassion towards them.

This is easier said than done, because a challenging unsolicited suggestion made at the wrong time can lead to defensiveness or rejection. But with faith, I believe we can be merciful in the right way at the right time. So, look with love at your neighbor, no matter what they may be wearing. Hopefully we can all be our best selves for God and each other.

Prayer: Dear God, help me to love my neighbors and grant them mercy, as you are merciful to me. Amen.

Image Credit: Linnaea Mallette, PublicDomainPictures.net