Tasteless Judgment:

            Kylie lit the lamp before dawn to spend the day with Joshua. These days alone with her beloved always were the climax to any week. No matter what happened during the week she thought of being with Joshua and listening to his wisdom for her life. Her heart lifted her spirit up the familiar rocky and challenging path.

            She reached up as Joshua’s hands were lifting her up to the comfortable terrace now alight with flames in lanterns. Joshua had prepared a soft cushioned area where they sat together looking at the city below them just before the sunrise. The two partners sat, hand in hand, waiting for the start of a new day as the brilliant colors started to chase away the darkness. 

            Joshua was troubled and said, “I wanted my followers, my children, to be one.^[1] It is so sad to see how many small things separate people. They make vast canyons from a small rift. I died the first time to give them true life, but now they separate over insignificant variations. Almost from my death, people have judged others based on their worship practices. People judge other people’s spiritual achievement almost like they can work to earn their own place in Heaven. People judge another church or person based on their worship style, music, leaders, respect for the sacraments, what type of baptism, respect for martyrs or pictures and whether they use music or not. Christians have killed other believers based on if they belong to the “wrong” church—that really hurts my heart to see my child killing other children in my name. Imagine a father seeing his children killing a sister or brother because they didn’t wear the right clothes. It breaks my heart to see my children behaving with so much anger!

            “I can see beyond Sanctuary through time. When I was with my first followers, I let them witness a conversation I had with My Father. I didn’t argue with My Father about what type of words that He used, what type of worship he permitted, what type of music he permitted. I knew I would be killed and sacrificed for all those throughout time who would believe in me. I prayed that they would be one as My Father and I are one.^[2] I gave them all the power I had to cast out spirits^[3], cure illness^[4], feed multitudes^[5], lift the spirits of the weak and infirmed—all gifts from My Father. I asked My Father to protect each follower in my wisdom and peace.”

            “In the beginning, my church was persecuted and powerful. That seems foolish but true. When my children gained power about 300 years after my death and resurrection, I had given them the same power that I gave my disciples on earth. They could have restored health for the sick, dispel poverty through giving, supporting the weak, and overcoming death through My Spirit. Yet, what they did with the Power of the Sprit was to turn on each other. They argued over who was more correct and became untrue to my words. They squabbled like little children. 

            Joshua took some coals and started to separate them from the central fire. As he took more and more coals away, the central fire was fed by less fuel and started to become smaller and weaker. “This is what happened when my children squabbled over practices and didn’t worship My Father. Does it really matter if someone raises their hands or encloses their hands in prayer? Does it really matter if someone wears special clothes or street clothes? God sees the heart and doesn’t care about the outer clothing. My children argue over minor details and what hurts most is they judge each other so harshly!” Joshua then took the coals and put them individually into the fire. “If all believers would really unite in the Spirit, their united power would conquer the world.” As he put the last ember into the flame, the flame’s light filled the dark, morning sky.

            “It sounds so difficult for you, Joshua. This is the first time I’ve heard you call them your children.”

            “They are my children, and no one can ever take them from me.^[6]” “When I was teaching my original followers, they argued over who would be closest to me, who was wiser, more able, more faithful. Whenever my children fight among themselves, they give away their power, the power that I gave to them to destroy the enemy. They let the enemy use that separation to kill and destroy my own children like a wolf dividing sheep. The painful part isn’t seeing my children die—for my true children will never die eternally. But I experience the torture they inundate on each other. I feel the agony of their searing words wounding each other, and I feel the ache as each child smashes another believer. I feel it, and they hurt me more than the other believer.

            Kylie could think of nothing to do other than to put her arms around Joshua in support and love. “If my children would unite in my Spirit, the enemy would flee in such intense fear. I know what each one of my children was destined to do and how much each child is worth to me. I died for each believer, yet they tear each other up like tissue paper!”

            As the sun started to rise, filling the world in brilliant hues; Kylie held Joshua in her arms trying to comfort him, and his disposition lifted. “We have a day together, and I am one follower who loves you.”

            Joshua took some water and put the fire out. “Let’s go to the Worship Area.” So, they both went through the crevice, down through the large room and into the Worship Area. As they both knelt, the morning light beamed into the vent and each one was awash with a rainbow of colors. Kylie thanked The Father for her faith and love for this man who had demonstrated the true love she never knew. Joshua’s spirit seemed to lift, and he said, “Thank-you, Kylie. The judgment of my followers hurts me so much.”

            Joshua took Kylie’s hands, helped Kylie stand and together they walked into the small room. He took out a tray of breakfast and they walked to Baptism Lake. They sat on the grass, looking at the peaceful waterfall that provided life to all of Sanctuary.

            “You created all of this, didn’t you, Joshua?”

            “This area is like the Garden of Eden. I keep remembering the relationship with the first parents of humanity. When they chose to sin, I wanted to offer them a chance to repent—to choose a different path. I could have restored the relationship with them. But the man who I created in love blamed his wife, and she blamed the snake. Since they refused to acknowledge their sin, they accepted the punishment for their sin. Then, a price for sin had to be paid. If humanity had eaten from the Tree of Life while in the Garden of Eden, they would have lived for eternity in sin; and evil would have exploded with no chance for humanity’s reclamation or unity with The Father. So, I banished all humans from the Garden of Eden to protect them from the effects of their own choice. The Tree of Life gave eternal life in the present state of that person. When everyone will eat freely from the Tree of Life, he or she will be free from any sin and live for eternity as a true Child of God—perfect forever. Then, the Tree of Life will provide true and healing in Heaven.”

            Joshua looked at this kind girl and said simply, “You will eat from the Tree of Life freely in Heaven where there is no suffering or pain.”^[7] As they ate the food, Kylie had never eaten anything as sweet as this fruit.

            “This fruit is nothing like the fruit of Heaven or Eden. This fruit is good but would be like to cardboard as compared to the food in Heaven.”

            After they ate, Kylie noticed a large heap covered with a large sheet. Kylie asked Joshua what was under the sheet. He laughed, “I thought we could have some good, clean fun. Remember yesterday?” Joshua lifted the sheet and there was a huge pile of water balloons. They both laughed. “Which would you rather throw at someone—something to clean or to defile their spirit?” So, both threw the balloons and played. As they ran and played, enjoying the morning, Kylie and Joshua, both hit each other with the pure water from the waterfall. Then, Joshua went into the small room to get lunch.

            Joshua had full knowledge of Kylie and loved her entirely. Both loved each other in different ways, but each understood different qualities of the other person. Kylie loved all that she knew of Joshua, but Kylie couldn’t help but wonder. Before Joshua entered Sanctuary, he wore the beautiful robe; but in Sanctuary, he never took off his Shepherd’s robe. Kylie never saw any part of his body other than his hands and face. She knew his face emanated love, and she knew that this man showed her more love than she had ever seen in her lifetime. She trusted and loved him completely.

            The two held hands and walked among the sheep and talked. Joshua showed how the sheep and people often share the same characteristics. Sheep can be trusting, gentle, innocent, and passive, but they can also be stubborn, foolish, restless, and selfish.

            Joshua closed a small gate that prevented the sheep from falling into the water. A small brook provided regular water, and the grass always seemed to be a healthy green color. As Joshua touched some sheep who were standing; they responded to him with a peaceful look, knowing that knowing they were safe while Joshua cared for them. Kylie looked around at the scene and realized this is how things should have always been. The peaceful waterfall filling a beautiful lake that fed streams of water flowing and giving life to a field of grass with peaceful animals resting quietly.

            As they ate, Joshua spoke of how he loved being with the people of Sanctuary and how one life can change the lives of so many other people. Joshua reminded Kylie of the stories of Gideon, Caleb, and Ruth—all people she had never known before Sanctuary, but now friends supporting her through a difficult time in her life.