Gospel

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Have you got someone approached you and that person wanted to share about his/her little secrets with you and because that person trusted that you won't judge them? What was the result, do you find that they enjoyed chatting and sharing with you or do you find that they suddenly disappeared before you and you wondered why...

We all have different reaction listening to other peoples' stories, some don't comment much, some just simply listen with patience, some just get annoyed immediately for what was heard and rebuke/correct others right away.

Do you rebuke or correct others right away, and what was the result afterwards, do you still have your friends sharing with you or has he/she gone to someone else? What's the problem after all, you said.

It is a real privilege to have someone to come to you and share their life stories with you, do you agree? Not many can have the courage to do so, and if they picked you to share these things with, surely they value you highly as their friends.

We all have different reactions, it's depends on our personality type but something can be adjusted. We can tune in the way Jesus did to others and when the sinners came to Him, how did He react to those sinners? There were times Jesus did rebuke them right away, not that He never did that. Jesus was so stern especially to the Pharisees in the Bible, not much about the sinners, do you realize it?

The Pharisees were those full of Bible knowledge, well-known in their knowledge and/or position in the marketplaces. They received respect and nice greetings from others and peoples called them teachers.

The Pharisees love to judge others immediately, pointing fingers at others because they simply think too highly of themselves, and they couldn't see their own weaknesses or mistakes as I think they were so accustomed to the nice greetings and respect they received from others, they were boasted in front of many that they have probably failed to realize they weren't that good or even perfect at all. I believed they have failed to recognized themselves who they really are without God.

In the way we listen to others....it can somehow reflect our relationship with the Lord, some peoples they are slow to judge others, as they themselves have gone through some stuffs in life, they experienced the mercy and grace of God, that they are able to extend that same kind of mercy and grace to others, so they are able to slow down and not too critical of others. I have met many spiritual friends that they are very slow to judge me when I confessed my sins to them. I also experienced many critics from among the christian friends and I went to them because I thought they were okay with me and trustworthy but then realizing I was wrong in my judgment about them. They were far too quickly to judge me, making me feel so vulnerable after all, not helpful, not forgiving but making me feel all the way condemned...felt like they were throwing stones at me, condemning me to death.

Have you ever felt like that, or experienced similar thing like that? Do you enjoy it? I don't.

Here is the lesson then for us to learn...if you want others to show mercy to you, show mercy to others, if you want others to see you through the grace of God, you meant to do the same for others. Read more carefully about how Jesus interacts with others in the Bible and learn from Jesus as He is our perfect example to show 'love and care' to others.

He listens compassionately to others' problems. He is slow to judge and slow to get angry.

May we have His compassion to listen when others come and pour out their hearts to us, may we slow to judge but listen with the same compassion Jesus has for others. Amen.

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