I would never do that.

Self-righteousness is a condition with which I believe many Christians have been afflicted. Being self-righteous is seeing life through your own eyes. It's when you look at someone else & think or even say... I would never do that. I never knew I suffered from this condition until my brother explained it to me. I was an older teen at the time. I don't even remember what prompted me to have those thoughts. I had no idea that being self-righteous could be so simply defined.

I am so glad my brother pointed it out to me & taught me how to guard against this ugly trap. I don't always get it right, but at least I am  usually aware when I fail, & I try not to make it a daily practice. I think the old adage is true... You never really know what another man's life is like until you walk in his shoes. What gives us the right to condemn another person? After all, are we without sin ourselves?

It is my opinion that if you really want to have an impact on another person's life, you must first love that person.  Build a friendship, & meet the person on their level. It's not about you; it's about sharing Christ's love. It's not about what you think of the person's life style. It's not about the fact that you would never do that. Most people don't end up in sad circumstances by choice. Frequently, traumatic events in the past made an impact or paved the way.


Are we without sin ourselves? Of course, we are not. Our sins may be less obvious, but none the less, just as potent. The damage we do through our own heart, mind, & words can be deadly. Sometimes we  justify what we do or how we react without pausing to consider the other person's reasons for  the path he has taken. I believe we need to leave the convicting to God & just be His vehicle. We need to be His hands & feet, not His Holy Spirit.