Are you the one looking toward leadership, Pastors, Teachers, Prophets, Deacons/Deaconesses, Ushers, brothers, sisters, and so forth, waiting for them to fail that you may announce their stumbling? Are you waiting for their fall so you have an excuse or so you feel like you’re doing “justice” in announcing their fault, their potential sin, etc.? But do they announce your sin, your iniquities, your attitudes, your faults, your immaturity? But somehow, you’re justified in doing so? Are you then a Pharisee?
Or are you one, like Jesus, because you know that is who we are to be like, to strive to represent in our comings and goings, that we serve, support, in integrity, extending grace, recognizing that all have fallen short, therefore, we love? Are you the one who understands that it is in love, that action through grace and mercy that forgiveness and repentance exists? Are you the one who recognizes your own shortcomings that even if another stumbles or falls that you see the need to reach out to help through celebrating the overcoming versus a celebration of a judgment being justified in some perverted way? Are you the one that seeks for the best of others, loving them like yourself?
So, who are you?“And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him….And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him” Mark 3:2 & 6.
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” James 2:13.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.
“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” John 8:7.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment. And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” Mark 12:30-31.