A
MILE IN THEIR MOCCASINS
Matt
7:1-5
7
Judge
not, that ye be not judged.
2
For
with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete,
it shall be measured to you again.
3
And
why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not
the beam that is in thine own eye?
4
Or
how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;
and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5
Thou
hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou
see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
It
is not clear
who first said “Do not judge a man until you have first walked a mile in their
moccasins.” The saying needs little comment and is generally understood that we
seldom know the difficulties that others are going through. Some latitude is
needed as we view the struggles of those we consider failures.
Becoming
a Pharisee is so easy! When we become comfortable with our brand of
Christianity it is so easy to yield to the temptation to judge others who don’t
measure up. Almost always that kind of judgment is done without regard to the
peculiar circumstances and hindrances of the one being judged. To say all that
in fewer words, we simply are not empathetic to the pain of others.
Certainly,
Jesus was not suggesting that we tolerate wrong thinking or wrong doing in
others. Both the judge and the one being judged had something in their eye. Neither
could see clearly and both were suffering pain. Neither was in a position to
see clearly enough to evaluate the needs or ills of the other.
Phil
2:3-5
3
Let
nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.
4
Look
not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5
Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Merciful
Father, let me be a little meeker with a brother who is weaker. Let me think a
little more of others and a little less of me. AMEN
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