So I’m browsing through some blogs the other day and come across one done by an illustrator. One of his jobs is for Inside Counsel Magazine – for those in the legal profession. The magazine runs a humor section and once a month editors send this guy information about four actual lawsuits that they consider ridiculous. He does sketches to illustrate them and then the editors pick one to go in the magazine.
One involved a well-known pancake restaurant suing a church that went by the same acronym. Another one involved a manufacturer of kitty litter suing another company claiming tainted results from a preference test involving cats choosing between litter boxes. Still another involved a congressman suing a Congressional cafeteria for $150,000 due to damages from an olive with the pit not removed! Wow!
As silly as those might seem the winner this month – as determined by the magazine editors – was a lawsuit by subscribers of an online matchmaking service who claimed that many of the site’s profiles are inactive or fake. They claim the bogus profiles are used as bait to get people interested in joining which requires a monthly subscription fee.
I’ve long been amused and offended by frivolous lawsuits but enjoyed seeing these illustrated. You can check out the other sketches at http://markarmstrongillustration.com/2011/02/17/you-sure-are-a-lot-uglier-in-person/
But this one about profile pictures not matching up with the real person got me thinking. What if someone looked closely at what we profess – Christianity – and what our lives actually looked like? I’m not suggesting that we have to be perfect because we won’t be as long as we’re sucking air on this side of the grave. But are we living out what we profess to believe? Does it match up with what people see in us?
Do we love others as God has loved us? Are we quick to come to the aid of others in need as Jesus was for us? Do we experience a joy and peace that come from trusting God or are we anxious and worried because we can’t control circumstances? Do we use our possessions to serve others or are they just there for our own pleasure? Do we forgive others as God has forgiven us?
Do people see Jesus in us?
A ragamuffin in awe of God's grace and glory... pursuing real life in Jesus.
iLife Journey 
…convicting, Brother! I think I’m supposed to say, “Thank you?!” LOL
darla
I think I’m supposed to say, “You’re welcome?!” LOL Just know that before God used it to challenge you He first hit me with it between the eyes. Thanks for sharing the journey!
As a lawyer, I, too, cringe when I read or hear about the rediculous lawsuits – and even many lawsuits that have merit. I very often counsel people by saying “Yes, you got screwed – take it and go on.” And it shames me to think we have lawyers out there who will sue anyone over anything even if their client’s case has no merit. Sigh.
I appreciate your heart in this matter Rick. I feel the same shame when I learn of a pastor who uses his position to control or manipulate people. But I guess that’s true of any vocation, some will use it for good and some will use it for their own personal advantage. Glad God sorts it all out in the end!
We need to ask ourselves: “If I was accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?”
AMEN!