Looking Down

Sarah Brown once said, “Only God is in a position to look down on anyone.” One struggle that Christians often have is the temptation to be judgmental. I can understand why. We study the Scriptures, we know about God’s will, we strive to do what is right … and that makes us better people than others, right? See what I mean? We often think we are better because of our good works. If you listen to people in the world, they do not like church people very much because of this very reason. Benjamin Disraeli said, “How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” When we are critical and judgmental of others, we are at the same time exercising our own weakness. In Matthew 7:1-3, Jesus said, “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?” Are you ready to be judged by the same standard to which you have been judging others? We have enough problems of our own without worrying about someone else’s. We need to learn to look beneath the surface actions to the marvelous creature beneath… the one made in the image of God. What Christians ought to do is practice the compassion and mercy of Christ. I believe if we were more interested in serving others than in recognizing their faults, we may be able to reach more of them.