Always remember to stay humble, and love, don't judge. There is a place for correction and reproof of others, but generally we are called to be gentle and just love others. :)
I have noticed that if we can’t have grace with ourselves for our past sins, then it will be very hard to have grace with others. Forgive yourself for your struggles and you will then judge others less for their struggles.
No one is, or can be, perfect. But our imperfections keep us running to God for help, so praise God for that. That is why Paul said, "When we are weak then we are strong" because we lean on and depend on God then, rather then ourselves.
"Love is patient, and love is kind." When we truly love another, we will be patient with them and with their struggles. We won't judge them more then we should. "Take the log out of your own eye before trying to take the spec out of your brother's eye," Jesus said. If you judge, make sure you stay humble as you judge, or else it will come off as condemnation from Satan rather then a gentle correction from God.
And always remember, "It is God's kindness that leads us to repentance." Amen.
I think the main reason we judge others is in order to forget about our own sin, but we can't change others ultimately, we can only change ourselves. Satan tries to get us to focus on others because he knows that is futile, overall. We need to change ourselves first and then lead by example. Be the person you want others to be. :)
I have been very judgmental of others in the past. I think that's why I decided to start drinking and smoking, so I would finally get off my high horse and realize I'm not perfect. I love something we read written by a monk in college, "I feel it necessary to have at least one vice to keep me in touch with the rest of humanity." I will never forget that, and it's so true. If we try to be perfect, then we will still have sin and that will be pride.
The Bible says, "All our righteous deeds are like filthy rags" to God. No matter how much "good" we think we do, is it really good? Even in witnessing we might have ulterior motives, like to boost our own ego, so can that even count as a righteous deed? We might give money to a church but then might get prideful about it. We might read so many chapters in the Bible every day but then look down on anyone who doesn't. We might pray for so long every day but then look down our nose at those who don't, so then our pride negates the good thing we did.
Jesus talked about this regarding the Pharisees. He said "When you pray, don't stand on the street corners so that you can be seen by men. But when you pray, go into your closet and your father who sees what you do in secret will reward you." Don't do your good things just to be seen by others, because then it doesn't matter. Either your reward will come from people or God. But really, there will be little reward from others, because you most likely will only incite their jealousy. Focus on only God seeing your good works rather then others.
"When you give, don't let your right hand know what your left hand is doing."
Focus more on being humble and having a kind and loving heart then you focus on doing good things. God wants our hearts more then what we can do.
And in closing, I love this passage in Isaiah 58, "Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Amen!
Do that. :) Be that. And God will bless you! Care about others more then you care about yourself. Because it's not about you. Your life is meant to be about serving God through serving others. :)
May God bless you all!
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