When I see faults in the brethren, I have made it a practice of looking inward to see if that fault or a similar fault is in me. If so, I give the brethren the excuse I have been making for myself, and put the judgment on myself that I was tempted to help.
Some of the best lessons I have learned that have helped me better see and change my conduct have been by seeing the faults that I have in others. It is hard sometimes – even when we are saved – to see the seriousness of our own lacks, errors, weaknesses and faults. But when we see them in others, or are on the receiving end of those faults, we can see ever so clearly how the Lord is not pleased with them.
From time to time, I take time to meditate on my spiritual blunders. I have made some major mistakes in the past 26 years where I have been trying to live for the Lord. If we have these before us and take time every so often to remind ourselves of them, it will help us not to be so disgusted with the spiritual mistakes of others. I have offended people, I have said things that just were not appropriate, I have embarrassed people and I have said things that embarrassed myself. If we have our own lacks and faults in view when we see faults in others we will not be so quick to correct with harshness or to be disgusted.
Typically, those that are quick to judge, and judge in a harsh way, are blind to their own faults. They quickly show disgust with others when they make a mistake and seem to be hardly able to believe you could do such a thing. We are to deal with others the way we would want them to deal with us if the situation was reversed. Paul told the Galatia brethren to restore those that were overtaken in a fault “in the spirit of meekness” (Gal 6:1) and he told Timothy it instruct those that opposed themselves “in meekness”.
When we see the immodest and the rank sin that is rampent in the world, we need to have a heart full of compassion for those that have been ensnared by the devil. While we need to be careful to hate the sin, we need to have compassion and love for the sinner. We all were there once. If we take time to remember that we “in times past” lived “in the flesh” and were “without God in the world” (Eph 2:11,12) we will not be so tempted to be too harsh against those that are in “bondage of corruption” (Rom 8:21).
Remember that there is little profit in judging others, but great profit in judging yourself (1Cor 11:31) and that in the way we judge others, the Lord will judge us (Mat 7:2).
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