Show mercy and help others overcome their faults

"For each person will have to bear (be equal to understanding and calmly receive) his own (little) load (of oppressive faults.)"

- Galatians 6:6 (AMP).

When was the last time you were late and expected someone would understand? How about the time you left your coffee cup on the table for someone else to clean up? Or maybe you accidentally left the peanut butter jar lid loose and instead of smooth and creamy, the next person who opened the jar discovered the contents were dry and stale.

Oftentimes, we are eager to overlook our own faults, and according to the Bible passage in Galatians 6:5, we all have them. But we have higher standards when it comes to our expectations of someone else, who has their own set of faults. We need to be equally understanding toward the weaknesses of others just as we excuse ourselves.

I am not suggesting we don't work on our faults, or that it is all right to be chronically late or leave a mess behind for someone else to clean up. We should always be working toward self-improvement.

But we shouldn't have a double standard that says we're excused from our mishaps but we can't excuse someone else, even when they do need change.

If we're not 100 percent perfect, we shouldn't expect others to be either.

Mercy displays an understanding heart. If we are blind to our own faults, we aren't going to be very merciful toward others. Looking at our shortcomings and not being so hard on ourselves while we are working at change is something God would have us do. He would also have us gently help someone else to overcome their faults.

God loves to extend mercy. So when the tables are turned, sowing mercy toward someone else's shortcomings is acting like God would have us act and, I believe, could cause us to reap some mercy in return.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She is available to speak at your group or business or be your personal coach. Watch for her writing workshop in January. You can drop her a line at Annetteebudzban@aol.com, call (847) 543-8413 or visit www.annetteebudzban.com.