Pursue Reconciliation, Not Condemnation

Reconciliation is key to healing relationships, rather than resorting to condemnation. God's love and grace provides a path to healing and restoration, challenging us to extend mercy and seek unity. 

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Full Transcript Below:

Welcome to the crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you listening with us. Today's topic is on how to pursue reconciliation above condemnation. You are going to learn today practical tips and the reason why you should not walk in condemnation. We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from our sponsors.

Pursue Reconciliation, Not Condemnation written in read by Kelly Balarie for you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew seven to discipling, a young student, I tried to make truth as plain as possible. I said, judgment is like a boomerang. When you launch it at someone you can expect it to hit them, and then to immediately return and hit you. Judgment always boomerangs back to the one who launched it. A wife speaks mean words to her husband. Before long the husband is saying mean words to her. A critic speaks loudly on social media condemning a church before long comments appear on his post accusing him. A judgmental comment is made about a lady at church. Next week after leaving church, the person that felt judged, now feels judged. Without realizing it, they figure people must be judging me the same way I am judging them. That's what people do after all. 

Now, the reality of the situation is that judgment might not even be happening towards this person, but it is expected. Why? Because we expect people to treat us the same way we treat them. We assume judgment is happening because we ourselves are judgmental. The feeling of judgment is just as bad as the reality of it. judgment and condemnation are boomerangs that only serve to hit us in the face, for you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged Matthew 7:2. Ouch. Indeed, this truth hurts, but confronting it is less painful than the standard of judgment, we will experience on earth and in heaven. For if Jesus uses the same standard that we have used to judge others, when we meet Him in heaven, there is wisdom in repenting of all the judgment we have inflicted on Earth. Where have you walked in judgment? Have you judged your spouse, your children, your boss yourself? Have you from a point of self righteousness, put other people down in your mind? I know I've done many of these things. 

Let's take a second and pray. Father, forgive us. We don't even realize sometimes what we're doing. Give us power to walk not with a heart of condemnation, but with a heart of reconciliation, by Your grace. Help us see the good in others. Before we point out the bad. Give us eyes to see hope rather than another person's demise. sound an alarm in us if we are ever to celebrate someone else's misfortune, in Jesus's name, Amen. 

Intersecting faith and life. My husband I have a saying that comes up when we are arguing. When a finger is pointed and accusing word start flying. We say to the finger pointer. If you spot it, you got it. What does that mean? If my husband says that to me? It means that if I spot a character issue with him, I probably have it in me. How can I know this? I wouldn't be able to recognize it in him. If I wasn't already familiar with it. In Me. We see what we know. It is called projection. 
What issue that you are quick to see and others may be something that God wants to address with you. How might his word address that issue? How can you change? How might your actions inspire the other person to change to?

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