"Never judge a man til you've walked a mile in his shoes."
We offer ourselves so much more grace than we do others sometimes. It's sad. When people are going through a tough time in their lives, they need the most grace and mercy that other Christians can offer them. Here's a novel idea - for all the time we spend stewing about someone else's life, why don't we take it to God in prayer? I do despise the practice of "preaching patience to the sufferer," which I find is rarely God-inspired. It's usually bred in self-righteousness. A Christian going through a hard time - a genuine hard time they haven't brought on themselves - covets the prayers of their friends. And a true friend will pray.
"If I MY child did that, I would ___________."
"If I saw that, I would _____________."
Fill in the blank. The fact is, you probably don't have all the facts. You may have never been there before. We should tread very lightly when it comes to speaking direction and wisdom to other folks' trying situations. Remember, the measure that you use will be used with you! It's a sobering thought.
Being in the tough shoes usually helps us to extend mercy and compassion the next time around. Sadly, we realize a trifle too late, how hurtful our "helpful" words were.
