For those of you who are parents, I’m sure you had all had an experience when your son or daughter messed up in some way or got in trouble at school, or you had to punish them for something bad they did. I know for me even when I got in trouble at school or did something bad at home, I would have been punished in some way, but my parent’s were not judging me, they were not condemning me and many if not every time they forgave me for what I did when I asked for it. Parent’s I’m sure it is the same for you. One good way to describe it is, you love your children, but you hate the sins they commit. Nothing they would ever do could ever stop you from loving them, but that doesn’t mean you don’t accept the bad things they do or let them slide.
Jesus today challenges us not to judge, not to condemn and forgive. Personally, I believe the phrase “hate the sin, but love the sinner” is the perfect phrase for today. If we are able to do this, we will be treated in the same way by our God. He loves us and no matter what we do he will always love us. However, he does hate the sin we commit. During this season of Lent may we have the courage to go to him and ask for his forgiveness, and when others harm us or sin against us may we too forgive them and not judge or condemn them.
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