"Nothing is easier than to condemn the evil doer,
nothing is harder than to understand him."
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
"Christianity can be built around isolating ourselves from evildoers and sinners, creating a community of religious piety and moral purity. That's the Christianity I grew up with. Christianity can also be built around joining with the broken sinners and evildoers of our world crying out to God, groaning for grace. That's the Christianity I have fallen in love with." (Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution, Chapter 9, Jesus is for Losers)
"When we have new eyes, we can look into the eyes of those we don't even like and see the One we love. We can see God's image in everyone we encounter. As Henri Nouwen* puts it, "In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face, and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands. Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their smile is my smile." We cry the same tears. No one is beyond redemption." (Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution)
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may find mercy and grace in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16
*Henri Nouwen, With Open Hands
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