Knowledge of Ourselves

Knowledge of Ourselves

by Lynn Anderson

Heartlight

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

(Romans 2:1-6)

Dear God,
It is true that people are usually the quickest to judge others over the things they themselves are likely to do? I knew a man who was continually condemning President Clinton over his infidelity and indiscretions, yet it later came out that he had several affairs and ended up leaving his wife and children for another woman.

There is a saying that I like: “Our suspicions of others are aroused by the knowledge of ourselves.” So as I inspect myself, over what types of things do I tend to judge others, and what is it that is in me that causes me to do this? I guess there are two things that I judge people most about. First, I judge people if I perceive them to be too religiously zealous and not tolerant enough of others who aren’t at their spiritual level. I am also judgmental towards those who ignore their families in the name of wealth, achievement, power, or even God.

“Our suspicions of others are aroused by the knowledge of ourselves.” As I think about these things, I think they come more from my personal wounds and experiences than they come from my own tendency to sin in this area. At the same time, my tendency is to rebel against both of these areas in my life to an extent that I become obsessed with not being like them and I pursue the sin in the other direction. For example, I realize now that one of my sins is that I still sometimes try to feel good about myself and the man I am by making sure that my family adores me. I will sacrifice and do whatever it takes to pursue their love for me. But what ends up happening time and again is that I end up finding my self-worth in their love for me and I make myself my God instead of you. Others look for their self-worth in work, church, civic involvement, etc. These are the people I judge. But I am as guilty as they are.

Father, give me a vision for loving these people. Give me a heart that reaches out to them and meets them where they are. Make me your representative to them. Help me to put aside my arrogance and approach them with your love and to see them with your eyes. Forgive me for pursuing my own glory. I want only yours.