Fixing people

Joshua 2:¹Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

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After praying and having a number of discussions I felt pretty good about the progress made with this guy. “He is ready to serve” I assessed. Weeks later I got a phone call stating he had a lapse and was back on drugs. We have to “fix” him, otherwise he can’t serve I thought to myself.

• When I look at someone else’s sin I can get smug.
• When I look at people as projects I can get high and mighty.
• When I look at a person’s contribution to the GOD’s kingdom, I act like I can save them and I have a heaven or a hell to put them in.

When I single out a sin “that” person is doing that I’m not, I can get rather smug in my thinking. I mean, I don’t do “those” things any longer, or I “never” did. “Those people” is a term that assumes I’m not part of that group.  In fact it implies I’m above the group. GOD has something different in mind.

• GOD sees every person as one of HIS until they reject the SON.
• GOD can use the most unlikely person to do great things in HIS kingdom and HE wants me to never underestimate HIS choice.
• GOD wants me to treat every person with high esteem and let HIM assess their sin level and position with HIM.

I can’t tell what a person believes even by their actions. I know I sin and that’s all I should focus on. Talking about other groups of people is very easy. I can point out their flaws and character cracks and I can even doubt they can be used. BUT GOD is the one who cleanses us of ALL unrighteousness!

• Do you think "that” person is a project?
• Do you believe “those people” are far away from GOD and “you” are close?
• Can you stop treating people like projects and give the love?
• Won’t you drop you assessment of sin and listen to what GOD wants you to do?