"Your Honor, I am a Christian, I'm not like that lying, cheating girl over there!" I remember watching People's Court, and hearing the Plaintiff say those very words, the very words quite a few Christians think. We look at "worldly" people and question their worth, question their value. We look at other people's sins, and we think to ourselves, "I am glad I'm better than that."

But are we better? Are we more valuable than other people? Sure, we try to live differently, and we try to obey God's laws, but aren't we still sinners?

I remember watching an online video, that asked people the following questions, and you could see how uncomfortable it made them (yes, even Christians) to give a truthful answer. The questions were as follows:

• Have you ever lied? What do you call someone who lies?


• Have you ever taken the Lord's Name in Vain? What do we call someone who does that?


• Have you ever had thoughts about a woman (who you weren't married to)? Read Matthew 5, what does that make you?


• Have you ever felt like killing someone? Again, read Matthew 5... What does that make you?

Pretty soon, the person is calling himself a lying, blaspheming, adulterous, murdering thief... The simple fact is that we have all sinned, and even though we have been forgiven of our sins, that doesn't mean we stop sinning... We are in essence doing the very same things as the people we look down on.

Throughout the Bible, we are told to humble ourselves, rather than to exalt ourselves... to realize our failures and focus on building each other up, rather than towering over others and degrading them. The Christian that exalts himself over others is the same as the Pharisees... a sinner who condemns others because they also sin.

It is not our job as Christians to judge others (Matthew 7:1-2), but rather to help them see God's word (Matthew 28:19-20), and receive his salvation. It is our job to encourage and help build, not to tear down. To share his love, and not our pride.

The next time you see a "sinner," ask yourself, what have they done that God cannot forgive? And then take a second to share His wonder and his joy with them, so that you may have a new brother or sister in Christ.