Nobody is yet a graduate in the school of Love. I am a fellow student, and we have one teacher, Jesus.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Matthew 6:37
Apart from love, I think we need to learn to show more grace to people. Both do work together because; it will be very difficult to show grace if you have no love in you. What gives me and you the right to take the judgement seat is the notion that we may be better than them. Maybe not better than them, but vast in the knowledge of the subject in discussion. Some self-justified speech will be like, “I know I don’t know how to do that but am so sure that that is not the right way!” This maybe a bad example but what I am trying to say is the fact that, even when its not our place, we tend to have an opinion. Some may call the statement a correction, could be depending on the situation. If this statement was said to a different party other than the one person concerned, then it definitely is not a correction but rather, a critique. A gossip! I tried to percolate the words and sound all sophisticated.
critique meaning= a detailed analysis and assessment of something especially a literary, philosophical or political theory.
Gossip=a casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
If the words were a correction and they were directed to the person intended, the wording would be different.
More grace please.
Have you ever considered the possibility that you are vast in a subject or a situation because you have not been tempted to a certain level that someone else has? What do I mean? Maybe you are better off because you have not taken the risks that someone else has taken? You are better because you stay on the safe or God has not considered you well equipped to handle the risky task.
The other disciples could judge Peter for wanting to walk on water and laugh at his attempt. Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego could laugh at Peter’s almost failed attempt but those were totally different situations with different provision and lessons. I think its Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts who said that the other disciples had not had the experience that Peter had with Jesus and no one could take that away from him. While the disciples could judge the almost failed attempt, they would be judging on the safe lines. They are professionals at navigating the land with little faith on the possibility of walking on water. Could it be that you have not had an experience as the other person? You may be judging from the point of a professional amateur meanwhile the other person is a beginner professional. There is a difference between being the wise among fools and the fool among the wise. You choose.
More grace please.
It is the same thing that happened to job with his friends. As they were judging him and all, they had no idea of His position in God’s heart. Some bible scholars agree with me on the idea of God being the one who put a bait to Satan.
Job 1:6-8
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord, said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”8Then the Lord, said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
While they judged him on what he was going through, they didn’t know that His name was on the lips of God as a blameless man. What an honor! This we will discuss later again but can you imagine? They had not obtained as much grace and honor from God to qualify to be in God’s mouth, that’s what qualifies them in my terms, professional amateurs. The upper hand of good health and not being tempted lied to them.
I may speak more and give you numerous examples. However, the most important thing is, before we pass any judgement, we need to ask ourselves, are we the wise among fools or the fool among the wise? With the latter, you will wait to learn more, with the first, you will want to teach. Whichever side you choose, I pray that you are well equipped with wisdom to handle your choice. I cannot choose a side for anyone. Sometimes we need those who can speak sense into people while sometimes we need people who can show more grace. The Penitent thief at the cross with Jesus used both, he spoke some sense on the other thief and showed grace to Jesus with a, ‘…this man has done nothing wrong.’ (Luke 23:39-43)
More grace please.
With so much love and an extension of God’s grace,
Gloire Simenya.
