Wandering from the Truth

judging-others-blue_designLiving in the Spirit
September 27, 2015

Scripture Reading: James 5:13-20

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. –James 5:19-20

How do we bring someone back from wandering from the truth? The crux of much of the dialogue in our society today rests in the answer to this questions. The question, first works from the assumption that we can readily identify when someone has indeed wandered. We know that is shaky ground upon which to walk because of the examples of Jesus being condemned by religious leaders from wandering from their ideas of wandering from God’s ways. We are clearly chastised not to judge others without being able to stand in judgment by others. (Matt, 7:1) John 5:22 states that Jesus is the only one who can judge.

I fear we stand in need of judgment when we take on the role of judging others based on our own perceptions of what we has determined is the right way for ourselves. Is their only one way of loving God and loving one another and how can we be sure that the way we have found to be in synch with God is that only way?

On the other hand, there always seems to be another hand, what is our responsibility to a fellow traveler on God’s journey who seems to be struggling, in pain, feeling a lack of grace or so caught up in the worship of lesser God’s they could care less about the one God? We are challenged to love them to the point that they can see a glimpse of the one God’s love in us. When we stand in condemnation of people we most likely will never have the opportunity for them to experience our love. We can only love in this dimension when we are ourselves as fully in synch with God as we can be and through prayer rely totally upon God’s love, the example of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, help me remove the beam from own eye before I ever attempt to take help another take the speck from his or her eyes. Amen.