I was shocked as I'm sure that you were to hear the news of Joshua Duggar come out. To learn that child molestation was in his past at the age of 14 was not something that I thought to be possible.
There are so many thoughts that come to my mind when I think about this whole ordeal. The first one may be surprising to you.
It makes me like the Duggar's more
I have loved watching 19 kids and counting ever since the show started. They are such a wonderful HUGE family that are very inspiring and encouraging to watch. They were even the first family that got me interested in the idea of homeschooling my children.
But.... I always had one complaint. They seemed TOO PERFECT. Their children were always well behaved, their house clean, and they're 100% debt free. They seemed to find the perfect balance with their time as they found time to write books, speak at conferences, take missions trips, learn musical instruments, develop a deep relationship with Jesus AND have a hit show.
Don't forget to mention the way all of their children so far have chose to have the perfect courtship including not even kissing until their wedding day.
I don't know about you, but watching a "perfect" family on TV can be encouraging, but it can also make you feel a little less about yourself. I know the thought has crossed my mind that I wished that I had done things this way or that way like the Duggar's, but I hadn't.
It's a great testimony in living out your life the right way, but sometimes people need to know that you're relatable. That as a Christian, you are in fact not perfect, but just a sinner that God saved.
It is his own personal testimony
Josh Duggar was ONLY 14 when he made his huge mistakes and has since repented of them. He is a man now with his on family and 15 long years has passed since the fact. I find it horribly wrong that people are putting him down for mistakes he has done in the past. I understand it coming from non Christians (now a days they'll use anything and everything against us) but not from Christians.
This is a redemption story, and in all reality a huge part of his own personal testimony. He sinned, (and according to his family and police reports) and then repented and got counseling and/or mentoring and has been a changed creature in Christ ever since.
Why in the world are Christians putting him down? Everyone has sinned, and to God all sin is the same. This is something that I believe Christians now a days really struggle with. They seem to completely forget that once people have repented of what they had done, and are working hard on changing, that their job is to stand by them and be encouraging. In all reality sometimes it seems to be the opposite. They throw stones at you while you're already down because they are disappointed in you or what not.
I do not think that this is what God wanted, not at all.
Joshua Duggar has already shown great integrity by stepping down in his position with Family Research Council. I personally have nothing but prayers and support for him and his family as they wait to see what God has for them next. Who knows, maybe God will be able to really use his past now to minister to others. Our God is amazing at turning bad situations into some good.
I hope another network picks up their show
I hate it that TLC has canceled 19 Kids and Counting. It makes no sense to me that something that happened 15 years ago is the cause for their show canceling. It was a very popular show and I know that many people are going to miss getting to share life with this precious family, me included.
Anyways, that's my thoughts on the whole ordeal. I really pray that us as Christians can really understand redemption the way that God does.
We tell ourselves that God has taken OUR sins and has cast them into the bottom of the deepest sea, never to be remembered ever again, but we are the first to remember EVERYONE else's sins. We need to pray for compassion and love for others.
Will you join with me and pray for these things?
I will pray for his VICTIMS. And I will pray for the family, but not in the sense that you are thinking. In the past or not, forgiven or not, there are consequences for atrocious behavior and sometimes, long after thinking you might have escaped them, they catch up to you. Sweeping it under the rug of "forgiveness" is like assaulting the victims all over again, saying that their pain and suffering and grief over the incidents is not valid, because he should simply be forgiven and his actions forgotten.
ReplyDeleteOf course everyone is a sinner. I am a sinner. Daily. And I am forgiven by God daily. But that does not mean if I go out and commit and sin and a CRIME against someone else, that I should escape punishment under the law and under God for those actions. If I went out and murdered someone but was repentant, should the church excuse my behavior and would everyone rally behind me because I was sorry about behaving so horribly? NO! I would have to face the consequences of my actions, regardless of whether I am forgiven.
Quite frankly, it disgusts me that anyone is willing to sweep this whole issue under the rug, as if it's insignificant and meaningless, when I guarantee if it happened to you, your siblings, your children....it would feel anything but insignificant and meaningless!
I really don't feel this has been swept under the rug. Its the opposite of that! If it were under the rug, no one would know what happened. Now, these actions are on display for everyone in the world. Not just family and church friends, but EVERYONE. You think living in a small town would be hard, imagine living in a small country. This has been brought out in the open which is (and I restate) the opposite of sweeping it under the rug.
DeleteHi Cara. Thanks for reading my blog. I wanted to take a moment to respond to your comment.
DeleteIt was never my intention to promote "sweeping it under the rug". Everyone should be accountable for their actions, no matter what they've done. I'm not sure what consequences Josh endured 15 years ago. I have seen different stories, and you really can't trust everything you read on the internet anyways.
I also never meant to undermine the victims and their families. I can only imagen the emotional pain they've gone through.
The reason I wrote this post was I had witnessed different Christians on social media sites, attacking Josh for his past mistakes. I don't believe that God condones this type of behavior.
The Bible clearly states that everyone has sinned, and that in God's eyes, all sin is the same. Sometimes as Christians we put sins in categories. God doesn't do that, and neither should we. We need to be careful not to put ourselves on pedestals, and look down on others who we think are worse than ourselves.
I hope that I was able to better articulate what I meant. I hope you have a blessed day!
I agree, this has NOT been swept on the rug. There were repercussions then for Josh, and there are continuing to be repercussions NOW. Except now, those repercussions now affect himself and his entire family both immediate and extended.
ReplyDelete