“Let both of them grow together until the harvest” (Mt 13:30). These words summarize the advice of our Lord Jesus Christ to us on the above topic. Sometimes, we human beings have no patience with one another. We are so quick to judge when it comes to the evil of others. We are quick to scream ‘foul! ‘ when we are not involved. Whenever we perceive that an (evil) act is done (to us), our first reaction is always to condemn and seek vengeance? We are so quickly to take action? What is even more painful is that sometimes these judgemental attitudes are born out of a false zeal to curry favour with those in authority. You sell off your brother to gain what?
In the biblical parable of the wheat and weeds recorded in Mathew 13:24-43, the servant even suggested to the master who knew better, that they should go and ‘pull off’ the weeds from the wheat. This is not a lesson on gardening, it is the story of our lives. Sometimes we behave as if we know better than God. We give cogent reasons why some people should not be given a second chance. The overzealous servants thought they knew better than the master. Too many Christians are like that. In their zeal to serve God, they go on a crusade against those they perceive are evil, with the false intention of cleaning up the system. Who made you a judge over others? Even the scripture says, “Remove the log in your own eye first so that you can see more clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eyes.”
The greatest lesson here is that we have a God who is always patient and tolerant with us. He is a God who is sovereign in strength and yet mild in judgement (Wis 12:17). We do so many wrong things in his sight (sin) and yet, he tolerates us. Why can’t we be tolerant of our fellow human beings? Tolerance should be our preferred option for the following reasons. First, so that we may not make ourselves judges, for God is the ultimate judge. Second, because by making a quick and rash judgement, we might make a mistake and accuse the wrong person.
Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Rev Fr Peter Obele Abue, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.