You can find a fair amount of mention in some classic literature about fearful sailors in wooden sailing vessels - desperate to avoid the crushing devastation of contact with rocky shores or the geologic leviathans hiding just beneath the waves in their path. Such perils had the potential to bring about the sudden loss of precious cargo or much more concerning, the terror inciting fear of the loss of their own lives.
It was easy for me as an avid young reader to place myself in the stories of those long written chapters. I could spend hours engrossed in well written tomes of adventure - experiencing with those hearty adventurists of each tale to varying degree, the emotions they themselves felt as the words streamed from the pages through my eyes - gleaning every word in an almost transfixed state. This was my means of escape from other unwelcome things that inserted themselves into my childhood and a habit that often kept me engaged for hours at a time. What I didn't fully appreciate back then, was a skill that I learned over time and rather unconsciously - how to put myself in someone else's shoes ...
To appreciate the life of another - to imagine what they must feel based on their background and current situation - to know their story in order to understand who they are and why they do and say what they do, isn't something that everyone wants to participate in. But Jesus did it knowingly and perfectly. And His reaction to the people He encountered was always based on His love and concern for them. Understanding someone else requires some investment for us because unless the Holy Spirit reveals such information to us, we have to invest ourselves to a degree to arrive at any personal understanding. Outside of reading it in a book, it happens for us in relationship with another person. Understanding what we may of Jesus happens through both.
Jesus is a people person. He always has been and always will be. His values weren't connected to material things - people were and are what He values most after those things concerning the Father. So following in His footsteps will lead us to valuing them as He does - regardless of their station in life, how terribly they've wrecked their boat on the rocks, their theology, ideology, politics, or even the color of their skin (we didn't choose where or to whom we were born). He gave them all life and He loves them all equally ... just as much as He loves you and I.
The truth is that in God's eyes we've all smashed our boats on the rocks and according to His perfect standards we deserve to drown in our own sin - no one is immune or exempt. But we exist under the reign of a gracious God, who for a time, and despite our poor sailing skills, is willing to rescue us and give us another shot at sailing with a better map ... if we're willing to accept His terms and change course - And not because of anything we've earned or done to deserve it.
In the 2nd chapter of the book of James, James said the following;
"Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you." James 2:8-13 (NLT)
So, the matter is simple - there is no hierarchy of sin. There's no varying level of holy disgust that we've earned to be held between us as we might tend to imagine in our own minds. The truth is that whatever failings we see in someone else, our own past sin is no worse, ... but no better either. Paul said it clearly "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight." Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)
Having compassion for one another is something that Jesus exampled for us quite clearly. At times it might mean speaking a truth gently to ears that need to hear it, other times it might mean sharing or easing the burden of someone God loves just as much as He loves us with Christ-like tenderness. But the only way that we'll ever be able to truly do that like Jesus did ... is by investing ourselves in the understanding of Jesus' heart. Reading the scriptures with a true desire to understand ... and making our hearts and emotions vulnerable in His story helps tremendously.
We've all wrecked our boats. We've all sailed a tragic course in God's eyes. We may have had the opportunity to learn from our experience and change course for the future, while others are still on the rocks and some may yet be heading for disaster - but we've all done it and lives Jesus loves are on the line. It's time to make sure we're rid of any worldly bias and are seeing people as Jesus does. That's a far different point of view from the one the world sees anything from. But it's how He sees us ... all.
"I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning." 2 John 5-6 (NLT)
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