Do you ever compare yourself to others? You meet someone or look at an acquaintance and think “at least I am not THAT bad”. This happens most often when we dislike the individual. We tell ourselves that we are the better mom, wife, or person overall. There are times we could be tempted to wish for negative thing to happen in their life, or worse relish in it when something awful does happen. I have been known to be a petty person who can be known to hold a serious grudge. When I have been wronged, or someone in my family has been, I would go on the offensive. I would research any way I could to enact some sort of revenge. However, I was convicted that this is the absolutely wrong way to handle negativity and pain. In our Bible study group, we have been reading the book of John where we learn about Jesus’ miracles and discussions with various people. The two stories that stood out to me regarding judgement were the woman at the well and the woman accused of adultery. In both cases Jesus knew what they had done and told both women to “go forth and sin no more”. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well but told her everything she had ever done. Unlike the community around her, Jesus offered forgiveness. As for the woman who committed adultery, Jesus told the crowd that “he who is without sin should cast the first stone”. Each person went away until Jesus and the woman were the only two left, but he did not throw a stone, he forgave and told her not to sin anymore. That left the impression on me that if the only person who was qualified to throw stones did not, then who do I think I am to try? If God sees all sins as equal, what right do I have to judge any of my sins as lesser? It is a challenge when you fight yourself to change in the ways that God lays on your heart, but to die to yourself every day in order to follow God’s will makes it all worth it.