God has taught me a lot about understanding “the other guy” meaning what other people feel, why they do what they do, why they have hurt people, used people, felt sorrow etc.
In the beginning this was hard for me to understand. To some degree I was judgmental and had past opinions that I wanted to use to guide me.
But God has carefully and lovingly showed me how those past opinions hurt people, and how judging them is wrong and will cause nothing but more pain and anguish – our work is to stop the pain and anguish, teach Salvation, bring relief, peace and harmony to peoples lives, change lives.
If we help change peoples lives then we remove evil from the world and that is Gods work. That is following Jesus honestly, with compassion and genuine care to see good done where evil once ruled.
Empathy is deeply needed in the church and on the streets, in the homes and all around the world. I get many letters from people from all walks of life from all around the world who are sad, and unhappy with their lives, and lonely and they have people around them.
Crime is an area that is important to me when it comes to finding out why people do what they do. I know that a lot comes from those who are taught to do criminal activities when they are young by adults and they live through it believing that they are doing what other friends are doing so it must be alright and of course the adults involved are pushing them along with encouragement etc.
God tries to show people the wrongs of their past so that they too won’t do as they were taught and their experiences can help others break away from the cycles of crime that they are in.
God has been showing me how to understand people and why they do what they have done and to understand them without judgement. I have no right to judge anyone, even people who have hurt me personally. An eye for an eye is an old teaching and it just causes more pain and suffering. Help, guidance and forgiveness are the right tools to kill off evil from peoples lives.
We must not force our own opinions down peoples throats but instead help them by guiding them when they come to us. Our work is to be based on love for God is Love and obviously that is God’s wish for us. we are to change peoples lives and use love as the way to treat them and the way to help them.
We must forgive always because true forgiveness changes lives and gives people new chances and sometimes that is all that they need. Be true to God and your own heart and forgive always.
God will lead people to the person who can be trusted. Gods way is the only way.
All the best from
James M Sandbrook.
31st of August 2012.
