1 Peter 4:17 – “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, something was stirring in my heart that made me weep.   Attitudes!  None of us can truly see inside the heart of another and know their hearts.  We can see actions, hear words, and note their attitudes.  We can make a determination about the condition of their heart by the fruit.  However, if we evaluate the fruit based on our opinion, doctrine, and preference, we may wrongly evaluate its condition and intention.

What if they are deceived, misinformed, misguided, or operating out of hurt? They may still believe in God and want to serve Jesus, but have stumbled. Even if they have, out of anger, hurt, or surrender to the flesh, erred, is it God’s heart to kill them?

1 Peter 4:17 – “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

Today, there are ministers (big names and no names) falling into sin. That is tragic! That makes me weep!  The question is, what is our response and attitude toward them?  Matthew 18 gives us a pattern. Galatians 6:1 reveals God’s heart.   Do we sever them from the body with railing words?  I hear some lash out with sneers and almost glee that these are being exposed in known sin. Is that the heart of God?

I preach hell with a broken heart!  We do need to sound the alarm when danger is present. We do need to teach truth, which exposes the false.  Love covers a multitude of sins.  Covers (not hides) but covers as in shielding to give space to be healed and restored. What is our motive in our judgment and proclaiming their fall?

Is there something inside us that smirks and has a feeling of gladness that they are being taken down?  We are the Body of Christ. We are to seek restoration. If I rip someone to shreds, how can I be a vehicle of restoration? I don’t need to shred personalities to speak against evil, sin, or error.

Is my heart the heart of Jesus? Is my heart breaking over every person who goes astray? Is the longing of my heart to restore? Am I looking for ways to reach and restore them?  

• Lord, help me to be humble and repentant like the publican in Jesus’ parable, not proud and judgmental like the Pharisee.
• Lord, help me to weep over sin, that in others and in me. Help me to pray for and strive for restoration, and never have even a smidgen of gladness that someone is exposed.
• Lord, help us to love as You love!   

Help us to view others, considering ourselves, knowing we too could be in that condition. Help us to not to have a false sense of spirituality, thinking that could never be me! Help us to remember we are flesh and only by Your Grace can we stand.  Help us to stand in the gap for others!

May we all walk in mercy just as we have received mercy!