Consider Their Context

SO, I got this new game on my phone this week. It’s basically Pictionary you play with friends over the phone.

I am no artist. Most of my friends are not artists. It can be extremely difficult to try to guess at what they’re drawing (you should see Brooke try to draw ‘wedgie’). The most fun part about the game, is that on your turn, it plays back you drawing your last picture and you see at what point in your drawing the other person guessed what it was, how many hints they needed, how many times they guessed the wrong thing…

In one of my games, I had to draw “iceberg.” So, I drew what I thought clearly depicted an “iceberg.” However, it wasn’t until I drew the ocean, a ship, labeled it “Titanic”, and then drew and arrow to my “iceberg” that my opponent actually guessed that it was an iceberg.

My iceberg needed context.

We all have a context in which we live in. Which means, of course, so do all the people who pop in and out of our daily lives. I think one of the hardest things in life to do is broaden our minds beyond what we can immediately sense and see people in their whole context.

The lady at work that we can’t stand- has a context. The creepy guy at the corner market-has a context. The person who cut us off in traffic-has a context. The punk kid in class with our precious angel child-has a context. The delinquent who you see on the news-has a context. That alcoholic family member-has a context. The promiscuous young woman who had several abortions-has a context.

Everyone has a context. Imagine what people would be able to think and judge about us without considering our context? Try to look at yourself objectively for one second, and just look at your behavior-no reasons, no excuses, no anything. It’s not always pretty is it?

This goes beyond not judging people. Although we’re not supposed to do that either (Matthew 7:1-5). This is about empathic love. About having the love of Christ. About seeing people the way God sees them.

This doesn’t mean we have to accept people’s behavior-it doesn’t mean we condone their sin. But, it does mean that we love them the way Jesus does.  

James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” The chapter goes on in verses 12 and 13 to say, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be show to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Our sin is just as bad as anyone else’s sin. We are either perfect, or we’re sinners. People hate to hear that their gossip is just as bad at their neighbor’s adultery-but its truth. God does not rank sins “most offensive to least offensive.” Christ blood covers murder just as well as it covers a lie. Christ’s blood is all anyone needs.

Unless you can claim perfection-you’re a sinner. Just like the lady at work that we can’t stand, the creepy guy at the corner market, the person who cut us off in traffic, the punk kid in class with our precious angel child, the delinquent who you see on the news, that alcoholic family member, and the promiscuous young woman who had several abortions.

Consider their context. Consider their story. Consider their needs.

And let mercy triumph. Let love triumph. Let Jesus triumph.

Be humbled with me,

Jill