How often do we leap to conclusions and mount a frontal assault on evildoers, only to be embarrassed later when the real facts come out?

In an incident mentioned in John 7, Jesus' adversaries had condemned Him as a Sabbath-breaker. Jesus had indeed transgressed their notions of Sabbath propriety by healing a man (John 7:23), but the real fault lay in the hearts and minds of the accusers. Jesus' reply was, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24). In other words, stop making superficial judgments, but look at the situation objectively.

We hold God's truth to be very dear, and seeing a brother or sister in the Church doing something that offends our sensibilities—like failing to properly respect the Sabbath—can trigger an emotional response of indignation. It is natural to want to defend our notion of what is right and proper, especially when it is connected with holy things.

We can easily fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and accuse an innocent person. And this is not a laughing matter. It hurts deeply when one brother falsely accuses another, and it can even contribute to the sort of despair that causes some to give up on the Church. Doing this does not demonstrate godly love. We don't want to come under the condemnation of the bad steward who beat his fellow servants (Luke 12:45-46).

When you see something that is out of step with what you expect, don't leap into action to correct the offending person. First, take a look at your own attitude: Why do I feel this way? Am I having a bad day? Is my motivation that of helping the apparent offender or of satisfying myself? Am I reacting emotionally?

Second, ask yourself if you can realistically hope to do any good by saying anything. If you think you can help, be sure that your help is welcome and that you get the real facts of the matter. Don't judge on outward appearance alone. For every action there is a cause. It might be ignorance, which you can easily correct. The offender might just be having a bad day, and a gentle reminder might be welcome. Galatians 6:1-5 admonishes us to be humble in our approach.

It's also possible that your initial perception was dead wrong—we are all vulnerable to misunderstanding, and we never have perfect knowledge. Ask tactful questions first to understand the situation. For example, an apparent Sabbath indiscretion might be due to a real physical need or "the ox in the ditch," and help and comfort might be what is called for, and not a painful assault on a person who is already hurting.

When we do have an occasion to offer helpful correction, we should follow the guidelines in Matthew 18:15-17 and do our brother or sister the kindness of being discreet. Taking great care in giving out any admonition has the added benefit of avoiding embarrassment when we are wrong. It contributes to a climate of outgoing concern and respect in the Church.

Don't put a stumbling block in the way of a struggling brother or sister. We ought to do all that is in our power to cultivate a respectful, caring environment in the Church. To God, the welfare of His children is a deadly serious matter. You don't want God's anger to be burning against you because of your offensive conduct. "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6, KJV).

Check your attitude, step cautiously, get the facts and be discreet. Be a loving helper and not a hurtful accuser to your brothers and sisters in the Church. Don't be a tool of the accuser of the brethren. Reach a right conclusion—judge righteous judgment! UN