Thought of the Day !!

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 

                                      Romans 14:1 (NIV)

Think about people that you might have disputes, disagreements, or differences of opinion with.  It is very easy to judge them based on your own perceptions.  Is it possible that you are judging people based on any perception that you may have of them?  

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

                                     James 4:11-12 (NIV)

In judging others we take on the power of God.  We claim that we are right and they can't possible be if they disagree with us.  Ask yourself, "Am I really qualified to judge somebody else?"

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
                                                  

                                        Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)

How many of us have no planks in our eyes?  In other words, how many of us are without sin?  We should be working on our own selves and leaving the judging up to God.  We can always pray for people and try to persuade them in love to be the people that God wants them to be.  We can lovingly point out that there might be some sin in another person's life that is harmful to them.  But we should always do so in a manner that shows that we're not perfect either.  The key is to care about people and look up to them in humility, not down on them in judgment.  

In the love of Christ,

greg