There is a Jewish saying, “No one knows whose shoe pinches except the person who walks in it”.
This is very wise to remember as it is extremely easy to make assumptions about others we don’t know. Unfortunately, many who considering themselves Torah followers are especially guilty of condemning those who do not have the same knowledge of Torah as they do and measure others by their own standards and even personal preferences over what the Bible actually says.
This is not ways done in a harsh way, some people are very well meaning and want to help. But we can be better about how we help. “Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” Proverbs 19:2. Before you can really help anyone, you need to understand the problem- and make sure that you are not part of the problem. If you don’t know where they are coming from in terms of experiences, abilities, and perception from you won’t be in the best a position to aid them in the way they need to be helped. And many times, those who think they see the flaws in others-even if those flaws are real-often make the situation worse by mixing in their own flaws in the form of false assumptions and misjudgments about others in to their attempts to reform them.
This is how God promotes personal development. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.” Hosea 11:1-4. We need to lay down our pride before we pick someone else up. Don’t assume what someone’s developmental stage should be and treat them accordingly. Meet people where they are in their walk with God. Only when you humble yourself and allow God to lead you are you in a position to lead others to God.
Picture originally found here
