"Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?" (Job 40:8).
We should accept each other because Christ has accepted us. "Make allowance for one another person's faults" (Eph. 4:2). Accepting a person doesn't mean that we think they are perfect, for a friend sees your faults and still accepts you the way you are, not the way you think you are. "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity [time of trial or adversity]" (Proverbs 17:17). It is good to have equals as friends because Prov. 27:17 says that "iron sharpens iron." We shouldn't expect our feelings never to get hurt nor wear them on our sleeve because the truth often hurts and Proverbs also says that "faithful are the wounds of a friend."
We all have four faces: the one we see; the one our friends see; the one our enemies see; and the one God sees. God sees through the veneer and there is no fooling him; we all have feet of clay and have weaknesses not readily apparent to the observer--sometimes only those closest to us really know us and we are putting up a facade to others, which is really hypocrisy.
Friendship involves give and take and is not co-dependent where both parties can't get along without each other so much that they idolize each other to the point of near perfection--no one is perfect as married couples find out when the honeymoon is over. If you are looking for someone to see you as perfect you can give up because you aren't even if you think so.
Everyone is a hypocrite to a degree, it's just a matter of degree and transparency. We need to learn to be frank with others and not be afraid to let the real person be revealed in all its reality--some people don't face reality and don't even reckon themselves as sinners and this is the delusion some have, even to the point of grandeur and we are superior to others. Criticism is helpful and is the only creatures that have the ability to be self-critical as well. Constructive criticism is needed whether we like it or not. If you are too timid to criticize when you do have discernment, you may lose what discernment you have.
You just can't say someone is getting ad hominem [arguing to the man rather than to the argument] with you just because they get personal--when they know you and are able to make; there is a place for honest criticism. Note that the Bible says nothing about this, it is strictly man's wisdom of arguing--there is always a place for discernment. It is not ad hominem unless you are trying to win an argument with the insult. Above all else, a word to the wise: Don't retaliate and return insult for insult or criticism for criticism (it may escalate out of control and do irreparable damage); the Bible says it is gracious to overlook an insult. Soli Deo Gloria!
We should accept each other because Christ has accepted us. "Make allowance for one another person's faults" (Eph. 4:2). Accepting a person doesn't mean that we think they are perfect, for a friend sees your faults and still accepts you the way you are, not the way you think you are. "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity [time of trial or adversity]" (Proverbs 17:17). It is good to have equals as friends because Prov. 27:17 says that "iron sharpens iron." We shouldn't expect our feelings never to get hurt nor wear them on our sleeve because the truth often hurts and Proverbs also says that "faithful are the wounds of a friend."
We all have four faces: the one we see; the one our friends see; the one our enemies see; and the one God sees. God sees through the veneer and there is no fooling him; we all have feet of clay and have weaknesses not readily apparent to the observer--sometimes only those closest to us really know us and we are putting up a facade to others, which is really hypocrisy.
Friendship involves give and take and is not co-dependent where both parties can't get along without each other so much that they idolize each other to the point of near perfection--no one is perfect as married couples find out when the honeymoon is over. If you are looking for someone to see you as perfect you can give up because you aren't even if you think so.
Everyone is a hypocrite to a degree, it's just a matter of degree and transparency. We need to learn to be frank with others and not be afraid to let the real person be revealed in all its reality--some people don't face reality and don't even reckon themselves as sinners and this is the delusion some have, even to the point of grandeur and we are superior to others. Criticism is helpful and is the only creatures that have the ability to be self-critical as well. Constructive criticism is needed whether we like it or not. If you are too timid to criticize when you do have discernment, you may lose what discernment you have.
You just can't say someone is getting ad hominem [arguing to the man rather than to the argument] with you just because they get personal--when they know you and are able to make; there is a place for honest criticism. Note that the Bible says nothing about this, it is strictly man's wisdom of arguing--there is always a place for discernment. It is not ad hominem unless you are trying to win an argument with the insult. Above all else, a word to the wise: Don't retaliate and return insult for insult or criticism for criticism (it may escalate out of control and do irreparable damage); the Bible says it is gracious to overlook an insult. Soli Deo Gloria!
No comments:
Post a Comment