Ouch - really?

I've been thinking lately about how it's so easy to react against other people sinning 'against me' - viewing it purely as a personal attack rather than a symptom of a spiritual condition. The more sobering reality is that they're sinning 'against God'! By spiritual condition, I mean viewing their behaviour as a rebellion against God - whether out of a life that denies His Godness or a life that has received His grace.

Taking it as an attack hints at my own spiritual condition. What is my contentment in Christ lacking? Am I being self righteous & viewing their sin worse than mine because it hurts? How did my response affect their spiritual growth / view of Christianity? How did my response represent what I believe about grace? How did my response affect with my own striving for godliness?

I acknowledge that hurt is very real & that it's certainly appropriate to react to. I guess this is the challenge: am i reacting out of LOVE for God & for them in view of 'helping' their spiritual condition... or out of a selfish heart that seeks to rectify their view of me?

Ephesians 4:9 says
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

So, getting it right not only builds them up but extends grace. Think briefly for the implication of your response to those who have hurt you that don't know Christ! Earlier in chapter 4, Paul also says 'speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ'. Using our words to reflect truth grows us into Christ as well. I've been thinking lately that I am called to respond to others sin in a way that builds them up (for the Christian) / helps build them in (for the non Christian), & grows myself in Godliness. Something that I can't help but notice in all of this is that it results in unity - not division. And yet, I'm sure we can all think of many times a hurt has brought division.

Amongst our responses to Christians, It's worth mentioning that when I talk of building up, I mean encouraging the display of thankfulness of grace in life. This provides an opportunity for rebuking, repenting & forgiveness (Luke 14:14)... And so thinking more of their relationship with God (the vertical) than myself (the horizontal).

I hope my thoughts are digestible - its just something that I've been battling with... particularly amongst those closest to me. So, I'll keep asking God to give me eyes that first view others spiritual conditions before my own hurts.