here was someone who might care for her and the children and help her meet the necessities of life. Then I realized, too, how circum stances had made it almost impos sible for me to empathize with this woman — I would never be in her position since I have a pro fession, nursing, and if the Lord were to call my husband Home to day, I would be working within a week to provide for myself and my little girl; I would never have to make the same choices that this woman has had to make— so how could I possibly judge her? One could point her to Christ, make an effort to help in her material needs, but certainly not condemn and judge her. So then, the question comes — WHY? Why do we condemn and harshly criticize? Is it not because, if we are very honest, we do not really want to get involved with the lives and needs of people, and therefore it is much easier to brush them off with a denouncement of their particular sin or weakness? Getting involved hurts — it may cause us to care, to give a little more, to think; and yet, Jesus said, “Be ye kind — tenderhearted, for giving one another —" Jesus did not condone sin — but when the woman taken in adultery was brought to Him, He did not say, "You are a wicked woman" (she knew that already). He did not shame her in front of the others: what He did say to her was “Neith er do I condemn thee; go and sin no more." Surely this would have convinced her to change her way of living: contact with the loving and forgiving Lord Jesus! There is another family I am thinking of that have problems in the home— it is hard to go to them
because we cannot have a friendly cup of coffee and a light con versation because there are serious problems to be discussed and they expect that we, as their pastor and wife, will have a solution. To talk to them is tiring— it requires that we try to think through their prob lems with them, that we care, and this is not easy. We have all been shocked by the stories in the newspapers from time to time of people who would stand on a street corner and do nothing when someone is public ly attacked, or who would hear screams and not investigate, and when asked why, they simply re ply, “We don't want to get in volved." But we Christians do the same thing! We do not want to get involved, really. Think! What about that one who works next to you, who lives next door or down the street, and one with whom you go shopping — does he (or she) smoke a lot, drink too much, over eat compulsively, speak of illicit affairs, lead a "worldly" life? And how do you react to this? Can this needy one talk to you, or is he afraid of a shocked expression, a prim mouth, a sharp rebuke? Have you ever wondered why the need to do these things in your friend's life? The innert drives and seeking that have their end result in that which we see? What about the long hours of labor with low pay, an insufficient income for a large family, an alcoholic, inconsiderate husband, a negligent, unloving wife, the dreariness of raising a family of children without the sup port of a father, or the difficulties, maybe of seeking employment day after day; the endless application forms, the long lines of people waiting, the polite smile and the
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