As I write this, the sports media outlets are abuzz with the latest boastings of an athlete who claims to be the best. Most of the reaction has been to look down on him for his boasting; or, to put it another way, people are proud that they don’t boast like him!


Sadly, Christians often do the same kind of thing. We look down on others for their worship style, clothing, recreational choices, etc. Paul addressed this in Romans 14. His solution? Look to Jesus. To judge those redeemed by Jesus and made in God’s image is to insult God. Yet, Jesus willingly took the insults we have hurled at God (directly or indirectly) and absorbed them, removing God’s anger from us. That alone ought to make us less likely to judge others. Yet we need something more; we need a changed heart, one that willingly endures hardship for others and seeks to encourage.


God promises to give us the kind of radical heart change we need. He’ll equip us to do the very thing He has called us to do. We are blessed to build others up.