I was listening to Casting Crowns’ song, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners,” in the car and was struck by this line:

“Jesus, friend of sinners/ the truth’s become so hard to see/ The world is on their way to You/ but they’re tripping over me.”

It’s easy to think of other people who are guilty of this: people who are hateful “in Jesus’ name” or who gossip but call it “sharing,” who criticize and say they’re “just being honest.” People who make Christians look so bad we understand why so many unbelievers don’t want anything to do with our Savior.

But then I thought about myself. Am I ever guilty of tripping people who might be on their way to Jesus? The word Christian means “little Christ.” Am I living the life Jesus modeled? Or am I behaving more like the pharisees – the hypocritical religious leaders that Jesus himself condemned?

If I am being perfectly honest, I have to admit that I struggle with pharisee-like thoughts and actions sometimes. It is easy to look at others and think of ways that I am “better” than them. But those thoughts are awful, destructive, and sinful. Those thoughts break God’s heart and prevent me from being able to serve others the way He has commanded me to serve. Because those thoughts come out through my words and actions, “tripping” others who may be on their way to Jesus.

So rather than tripping people along the way to Him, I want to come alongside them, help them, pick them up when they fall, dust them off, hug them when they’re hurting and cheer them when they are victorious. I want people to look at me, to be around me, to know me and be encouraged. I want to be like Jesus – a friend of sinners, of whom I am one, saved by His grace.