How can we know the heart of another?
How do we know that more Catholics are NOT trying to avoid hell? How many people do you really KNOW, even at your own church? How many people do you just assume are ‘not doing anything’ because you don’t SEE them doing something?
I don’t deny that I for one don’t do anywhere near enough. But I think myself that God would be more concerned that I be aware of MY failings rather than focusing on the failings of others. It is a very, very fine ‘line’ so to speak between simply noting a fact, stating an opinion, and actually ‘improperly’ judging and finally actively denigrating or even damning another person. Speaking again just for myself, until I was mighty sure that I was at the very least doing the MINIMUM (which God knows is hard enough doing any given day let alone EVERY day), I wouldn’t want to be assessing where OTHERS stood on the ‘heaven to hell’ continuum. It’s too dangerous to assume that my ‘concern’ is JUST for others and not a very subtle tool of the devil’s to make me feel ‘better’ about MYSELF. I know I have too high an opinion of myself as it is which needs a good stiff dose of humility, stat!
Thanks for the warning, as Jesus cautioned against presumming to know another’s heart in judgment:
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;”
Luke 6: 37
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”
Luke 6: 41-42
But Jesus also says immediately after the not judging others, that we can know a tree by it’s fruit:
"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me `Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
Luke 6: 43-46
Jesus also warns that one does not wander or drift into heaven by proximity or association:
“And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying,
Lord, open to us.' He will answer you, I do not know where you come from.’”
Luke 13: 23-25
"`I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”
Revelation 3: 15-16
