When we get in close proximity with other people in their church soon find out that they bite. Not literally, but they use their mouths to wound. Many of us attribute this to sin, but that is really not specific enough. The problem is the law.

When we are living “under law” we evaluate people more than serve them.

The law is the best evaluation tool. It is the standard of right and wrong. If others were law-keepers, then life would be wonderful and full of blessing. And so we judge people on their performance. When they fail us we bite. If they continue to fail or fall short, we want to see them devoured — maybe by a flood of bad circumstances.

We hold up the law as a lens through which we look at our brothers and sisters. We are judges. Paul says if this is the rule of our relationships, then we need to watch out lest we consume one another (Galatians 5:15). Isn’t this the perfect description of the consumer? When we go to a store we have the implicit demand that the store be a certain way for us. We have a checklist of desires — of customer service, convenience, and products that appeal to our tastes. We evaluate the store based on what it provides for us.

There is nothing wrong with that with where you shop, but it will condemn you in the family of God. The law is fulfilled by love: not other people being loving toward you — you being loving (serving) towards them. But we don’t use the law as data to actively love, do we? We use God’s standards to evaluate other people, particularly our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So we are judges — but God will judge the judgmental. For he will not extend mercy to those who show no mercy (James 2:13). So watch out! When we are judgmental we will not feel like we are doing something wrong. We will feel like we are doing something right — pointing out the flaws and failings of another. But if that is our rule for living, then God will use the same measure of judgment we have used on others.

Instead God calls us to love and serve those who fall short and fail. Yes a Christian helps other people or their church even if it doesn’t meet their needs. Even if those other people wound them and hurt them. For that is what Christ did — loved us when we wounded him.