Judge or Judged?

I find myself pointing out others' "sins" and making other people feel guilty for not living the way I want them to. I had this same talk with my sister long ago, when SHE was the one telling ME what she thought I was doing wrong. She was nagging me about drinking and I totally put up a fight telling her I didn't want to hear it, I didn't think it was bad, I would always like alcohol, and how she was "judging" me. 

sanctify/ sanctification: 

moral reformation of character brought about by the power of truth; to set apart, purify; the carrying on to perfection; led to yield obedience; perfect sanctification is unattainable, becoming more sensitive to sin; correcting imperfections and confirming their graces; removing your old self from your back; changing your lifestyle; molding into a spitting image of Christ; becoming a completely different person than who you were before; always changing/ moving towards perfection; never complacent/ comfortable with your lifestyle; always improving your character/thoughts/habits; dying to your sinful nature/flesh

I realized after, that she was more "sanctified" [set apart, more sensitive, already corrected] in that area than I was. God had already revealed to her that she didn't need alcohol, he had already given her confidence in NOT drinking, she prioritized her witness, she was already called to a life of sobriety, she knows that her mind is more focused on God, focused on purity, discerning in her ways, and morally alert when she is not influenced by alcohol. Not because she HAD to, but because she WANTED to.

I, on the other hand, had back-tracked in my walk with Christ. I had to start the process of sanctification all over again when I chose to start putting Christ first in my life again. Little by little, He didn't "condemn" me for the things I was doing outside of his will, but rather shed light on a new life that would be more fulfilling than the way I was living. He showed me the benefits of giving up the things of the world to pursue the things of Him. The closer I got to Him, the closer he got to me. The more I wanted to be filled, the more the Holy Spirit took over my life and changed my desires for me! It wasn't something I got "guilt-tripped" into, but something I became sensitive to, and didn't have a desire to do anymore in order to also be more morally alert, steadfast on Christ, and focused on my witness.

It's about what is standing in between you and God. It's about what God has laid on your heart to give up in order to be closer to Him. It is about your personal relationship with Christ. It's about doing everything you can to reflect the image of God. Sanctification isn't about the "guilt trip", it isn't all about laws and rules, the thought of it shouldn't make you shrivel and cringe at the thought of giving up things, putting away old habits, or containing your desires. It should spur from a genuine desire to want to be holy, just as God is holy.

1 Peter 1:14-16 says:

"You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy, you be holy."

As much as I want to nag people about their habits, and make them feel guilty about their sin, it's not my job to sanctify them, it's the Lord's. Though sometimes God does USE us in the process of sanctifying someone else, more often than not, I believe that we should turn to prayer, the word, and focusing on our own sanctification. 

My Try at making an ANALOGY:

When you first start out playing a sport, perhaps tennis... you learn the basics. It is fun hitting the ball back and forth. But what if your father is the best tennis player in the world. Everyone assumes this talent runs in the family, everyone asks if you get the scoop on his secret moves and tricks, people envy that you have private lessons from the greatest instructor at your finger tips. You LOVE tennis, and you LOVE your father. It becomes your DESIRE to get better, to learn the tricks, to step up your game, to follow your dream of following in his steps. He teaches you strategies and ways to create more power in your strokes, the value of precision and getting the ball exactly where you want it to go at the speed you want it to go at, the stance, the footwork, etc. The more you practice, the more you are taught, the more you are going to be like your father. You will never be HIM, but you will be a spitting image. 

Once you know what it takes to play great... you no longer have the desire to lazily hit balls back and forth barely making it over the net, much less keeping it in your own court. It's not as fun as it used to be. You get way more pleasure out of the new way of playing, the time spent with your father, the connection you have with him, the way he looks at you and gives you reassurance, the way he brags to his friends and the media that YOU are his child, the pleasure to see in his eye when you are obedient, the arms you can run to when you fail, the way people compare your likeness to your father.

This is what I picture when I think about sanctification... becoming like your father because you genuinely get pleasure out of it, genuinely loving your father enough to represent him in a positive way, wanting others to KNOW without a doubt that you are his child, giving up "good" games/ things we used to enjoy to gain the thrill of "great" games/ things, learning tricks and strategies to create more power in your words, your witness, and your ministry, the value of precision in talking the talk AND walking it out, to know where you want to go in life and what it takes to get there, reading the "instruction manual" and talking to you Father. You will never be perfect, you will never be God, but you can strive to be holy and make changes in your life, because God has called you to be holy, just as He is holy.