Is God a bully?

I think I've actually written about this before, but right now, it seems like I need to talk about it again.

Last night at Bible study, Mrs. Laurel was refreshing my memory of who God is. Our Pastor has said some of the same things. 
Here are a few quotes from her last night:

1. "Jesus is the full representation of God. To know God's heart, see Jesus."
2. "Jesus is enough!"
3. "We are not earning God's approval, we are living in the over flow of His grace."
4. "Hope is confident expectation."

In the Old Testament, God already had Jesus planned, but for whatever reason, He waited to send Him.

We tend to look at God through the Old Testament lens and think He is a bully. (He had to use certain methods back then that are difficult to understand. When Jesus and the Holy Spirit came, He could be different.) Therefore, for whatever reason, some Christians think it's ok to be a bully themselves. This is not true.

We, human beings, are NOT here to judge others. We are not here to hurt people. We are to love and spread joy.

When you read the New Testament, and watch how Jesus treated people, that is the example you want to live by. 

Did Jesus ever tell the Pharisees that they did not deserve to breathe? Did Jesus tell the man who was possessed by demons in the caves that he was horrible and should just go die? Did Jesus tell the leper that he was a horrible sinner and deserved to be away from his loved ones? Did Jesus throw the first stone at the woman caught in the act of adultery? Did Jesus take tell Bartamus that he didn't deserve his eye sight so He was going to let him stay blind? Did Jesus throw a party when Lazarus was dead? (Or picket his funeral?)

Of course the answer is NO!

What gives us the right to say such horrible things to other believers? Or anyone for that matter? 

God loves EVERYONE.

He loves the gay, the straight, the confused, the Pastor, the porn star, the Hollywood directors and actors, the atheist, the prostitute, the sex slave, the man who turned his back on God, the woman who had an affair, the child who stole from their parents.... need I go on? 

Nothing we can do will make God love us any less, and nothing we can do will make God love us any more.

So, who died and said we could judge and be mean?

Seriously, if we want to be more Christ like, we are not even close when we judge and bully others!

God does have ways and truth. I understand wanting to "defend" said truth. However, there is a way to treat people and a way to not treat people. 

Jesus said to love our neighbors as ourselves. "Neighbor" means everyone. He also said for us to treat people the way we want to be treated. 

Why is that so hard for some people?