Beyone the Fault
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”
Galatians 6: 1 – 4
King James Version
Dottie Rambo wrote a song, I don’t remember the name of it, but the words in the song are beautiful “Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise. For it was grace that brought me liberty. I do not know just why He came to love me so. He looked beyond my fault and saw my need”. This is one of my favorite songs. Thank God for a Saviour who looks beyond our faults and sees our needs. Thank God that one day Jesus allowed Himself to be tortured, abused, humiliated and crucified on an old rugged cross for us so that we may be saved and have the assurance of living with Jesus for eternity.
We live in a society that is filled with violence, sexual activity without marriage as God has ordained, drugs, alcohol, pornography, liars, people who break the speed limit, and people who park in a handicapped place when they are not handicapped and use the toilets that are reserved for the disabled. All of these things are displeasing to Jesus and stinks in His nostrils. To Jesus, a person who tells a lie is just as displeasing as a person who kills someone. In the eyes of Jesus, sin is sin. He died for every sin, not just for a few. We are the ones who put labels on sins.
I had a discussion with a dear friend about capital punishment and I told her that in my opinion “Anyone who tells a lie, breaks the speed limit, or anything else that hurts Jesus should also be executed”. Yes, it is terribly wrong when a person shoots or stabs someone and that person dies. However, we are so quick to criticize, condemn and judge people who kill others yet we are just as guilty. Every time that we say something unkind, critical, and sarcastic to people we are killing them emotionally. We might as well point the gun at their hearts and pull the trigger.
I wonder what would happen if we would start looking beyond the fault and see theneed. Yesterday, four things happened and I started to get angry but then I realized that I needed to look beyond the fault and see the need. It was wonderful because as soon I did this, all the irritation and anger left. O that we would start loving others unconditionally as Jesus has commanded! Are you looking beyond the fault of others and seeing the needs?
Joanne Lowe
