"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
- Luke 6:37

|PIC1|In an issue of Our Daily Bread, an incident in the life of English evangelist and Methodist leader, George Whitefield (1714-1770) is recorded. On one occasion Whitefield recieves a critical letter from one of his accusers. His reply is most notedly prompt and to the point: "I thank you heartily for your letter. As for what you and my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me. With love in Christ, George Whitefield."

Though it may seem a little unforgiving in our eyes, Whitefield's response does demonstrate a simple and important characteristic of faith. That though we are sinners, God unconditionally loves us, and embraces us. Knowing our faults and insufficiencies, he covers them over with His love...

Inside of us, we have this desire to appear 'perfect'. This is a good and natural longing, that is precious in the eyes of God...but the problems arise when we don't admit to our weaknesses so as to break this 'perfect' image. This need to appear perfect always, needs to break down so that we can go before the Lord;

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
- Luke 18:13-14

It is hard to accept; that God would forgive us and embrace us, but learning to accept this, building each other up, let us be the ones to serve each other in Love.

"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, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
- Luke 6:41-42


Anon.