Walk In My Shoes
Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author
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This is not our normal Bible Study. It will be more from me with only a few verses. Normally scripture is used more and I talk less.
First of all, how does anyone truly know anyone else is saved? Perhaps they can discern Spirits, but then a lot of people can confuse the issue.
We really have no idea if someone else is saved or not; if they are growing or not.
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matt 7:1-2 (KJV)
How can we say "he is not saved" or "she is not saved" or what they do tells me they are not saved? Why do we judge each other based on outward appearances and actions?
Yes, there are some things that are dead give always, like claiming to not believe, or professing Satan.
But really we all make mistakes, and if you catch us at the right moment you would see something for an instant that would make you think we are pagan.
Think about it; have you ever gotten mad at someone who cut you off on the freeway?
If so, how do you know that person was not rushing a child to a hospital or just did not see you? Haven't you ever changed lanes and almost cut someone off because they were in your blind spot?
If someone smokes, or has other addictions, that does not mean they are not saved. It just means they have not given authority to Jesus to that part of their life, or it may be in work by our Lord to be removed. Some people lose addictions faster than others. It is like scripture; some pick up something faster than someone else. That does not mean they are any more saved or mature than anyone else. It just means that they have gotten that scripture into them.
Remember, the Lord is working with us. We are the clay and He is the potter. That means we are not a finished work.
What all this leads up to is the fact that we should not judge and until we have walked in someone else's shoes. We do not know what it is like for them, whether or not they are saved or growing in the body of Christ. Everyone started at the same point and grows based on how much control of their life they give to the Lord.
Mostly it is how we live, not how we act. We should live our life for the Lord, spending time with Him, not just a few minutes here and there, but real time, time talking, and even more time listening.
My favorite comparison is: you see a brand new top of the line Mercedes with heavy tinted windows drive by, and you may think that person is doing well. Then you see an old junker with smoke coming out the back, and you may think they are poor (or at least not doing as well as the driver of the Mercedes). In both cases you could be wrong. The Mercedes driver may be in debt up to his eyes. Where the other driver may have money stashed all around.
We are like the two cars. We have a tendency to judge based on what we see. Appearance and action is what we go by, but the Lord goes by the heart.
Isn't it true that if you pray for something it may take a while to manifest? Well, are we not the same way. We are a work in progress that will never end until we go home to be with the Lord.
So the next time you are ready to judge someone based on their appearance or even action, DON'T, not until you have walked in their shoes.