Most of us naturally believe that our opinions are correct, that we see clearly and have the solutions that others need. However we often have difficulty putting those same solutions in practice ourselves. Jesus addressed these issues in Luke 6:37-42 with his contemporaries, who were quite religious and believed that they had it all together, because they practiced the religious law to their own standard. In so doing, they didn’t realize that there was a higher standard to that law to which they were being held account. Jesus helped them to see that standard through his teaching. He warned them about judging and condemning others, which can be very easy to do. However, the result was that rather than helping the other person, they received judgment and condemnation in return. Rather, he instructed his followers to practice generosity, the result of which would be to receive generosity in return. In other words, we are to give grace and understanding to the defects that we see in those around us. Even Jesus, who is the Son of God extended extreme grace and understanding with those around him. When we judge and condemn another person, we usurp Jesus’ role in their life, placing ourselves above him, which he instructs us not to do. Rather than usurping his role, we are to be like him in practicing patience with the shortcomings of those we know. Our role is to be instructed by him so that as our training progresses we become more and more like him. Therefore, we should not think that we can assist someone else until we have addressed the issues that plague us, which Jesus indicates can be and often are larger than what our acquaintances and friends are addressing. Only after we deal with our own issue(s), can we be objective, see clearly enough in Jesus’ words, to address the issues that those around us face. Jesus reminds those of us who follow him, that we are not to live as everyone else lives, but to emulate the way that he lives to show others a better way.
David Freitag 