"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:36-40
The Dalai Lama said "Love is the absence of judgment." And while love is much more than that it is at the least the absence of judgment. We are admonished by Jesus to forgive as infinitely as we are asked to love. Both of which are impossible if we judge.
Jesus showed us the door, we are the ones who have to walk through it by choice not by force. Since Jesus never coerced or forced anyone to do anything why do so many coerce or force others to live up to their standards these days?
Jesus was without sin yet of all His disciples and followers He was the only sinless person, as a matter of fact He was the only sinless person period. He came to us to save us not to condemn us. Likewise, we must call sinners to repentance by repenting of our sins and leading the way.
A crowd gathered before Jesus with an adulteress caught in the act. They asked Jesus what the law said they should do. Jesus said "He who is without sin may cast the first stone." The men dropped their stones and walked away humbled. Jesus then asked the woman "What man condemns you?"
And she said "No man Lord." Jesus said "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
He also said "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Many jump on the fact that Jesus said go and sin no more, and this is true every time we repent. But Jesus was without sin and could throw the first stone but He did not. He forgave, He showed compassion at a capitol offense. Why should we be any different in our attitudes and treatment of others. We ask for forgiveness so how is it we deny forgiveness to others?
Jesus tells a story of a tax collector and a Pharisee:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:10-14
Now the fact that Jesus was cool with a sinner going to the Temple in His day on His watch yet that is not the case these days is something for another post sooner or later but the tax collector beat his chest, that's what it means to smote his chest. So the sinner humbles himself and the self righteous pharisee exalts himself but Jesus says those who exalt themselves shall be abased and those who humble themselves shall be exalted.
"For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:2
You will be judged as harshly as you judge others. Or as kindly as you treat others. If you love others you will reap that love back but if you mistreat, judge, or sham and shun others you will face that same fate.
The best parable I think describes exactly how and why we should live according to the teachings of Christ:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:34-46
So you are judged based on your treatment of all but specifically those you don't think matter, the homeless, the addicts, the alcoholics, sex offenders; all those people you think deserve nothing or deserve nothing good.
We are called to love them all, our neighbors, our enemies, and everyone else. Jesus goes so far as to say that if you hold a grudge against anyone, your sacrifices to The Lord will not be accepted.
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Mathew 5:24
Jesus treated the least of His people with love, forgiveness, compassion, and acceptance. So we are called to do the same.
If people see the kind of love described in that last scripture quote, who wouldn't want to be a part f that? But if people see the opposite, who wouldn't run from that treatment?
