When you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you. We’re often guilty of pointing fingers at others for their “obvious” sins while hiding sins that nobody likes to talk about because they make us uncomfortable. Gluttony is addressed specifically in the Bible as a sin, but we forget this when we sit down at a table full of food. Some of us need to spend less time judging others and more time seeking accountability from someone we trust to help us clean out our own cupboards.

In our culture, people are quick to judge others, provoke argument, and “cancel” people from their lives if they don’t see eye-to-eye. We forget that without Jesus, none of us have a hope of upholding God’s standard of perfection. He demonstrates for us what it means to show mercy to ourselves and other people when they — or we — miss the mark.

When compassion is given toward someone else even though you have the power to punish them. That’s mercy. We’re all born needing God’s mercy because of our sinful nature. So, how should we respond to His mercy on us? Perhaps by then having mercy on others?

There’s a saying about judging other people: “When you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you.” As Christians we tend to “point the finger” at everybody else’s transgressions while ignoring our own. But we’ll never be able to fully experience God’s mercy and grace until we can own up to our own sin — and we’ll never be able to extend that same mercy and grace to others when they sin against us, either.

Changing our actions means nothing unless we allow God to come in and change our hearts. Instead of judging other people for the lifestyle choices they make, let’s examine ourselves first and realize we need Jesus just as much as they do! When we allow Him to come in and change us on the inside, it will reflect through our actions on the outside.