Church on the flip side

Something remarkable happened when I became a single mum in a church environment.  In the eyes of many Christians I went from being a wonderful example of a Christian woman, doing the right thing staying home raising her kids with an upstanding husband and lifestyle to admire and emulate....to a dole bludging woman with seemingly no aspirations or career to speak of and did you say FOUR children!
These were my two lowest points:  1.  The time an elderly lady from a church I had just started attending found out I was a single mum and DATING! I saw the respect and interest leave her face only to be replaced by contempt.  The most painful thing for me was that I could have justified myself to her in only a few sentences.  I just walked away.
2. The second thing was not intentionally hurtful but cut me to the quick.  A lady when hearing that I no longer had a husband then asked me if my children were all his :( 

My point in saying all this is not to have a moan or cast all Christians in a bad light(after all, I am one!)  It is more of a caution to my fellow Christians not to judge.  The truth is, you know NOTHING about the person standing in front of you, no matter what your eyes and ears may be telling you.  Their story may be so much harder and more complex than anything you could dream up so my advise is LOVE first, ask questions later.  Remember Jesus and Mary Magdalene,  Nicodemus, the beggars on the street, the woman who touched the garment of Jesus.  These were all societies rejects yet HE LOVED THEM!  Remember, whatever you do for the least of these....