Who am I ?

Abba Poeman said to Abba Joseph, ’Tell me how to become a monk.’ He said, ‘If you want to find rest here below, (earth) and hereafter,(heaven) in all circumstances say, who am I? — and do not judge anyone.’

—— sayings of the Desert

Do not judge anyone. That very small statement is one of the most difficult tasks of any follower of Christ. Our very nature is about judging and discerning, and when we act on that nature we can be very harsh toward those who are the recipients of our judgment. The wise old man says, “Who am I?” This a simple and yet very profound statement that has monumental consequences. Evaluated correctly the Abba was saying, I am not God. We all need to accept the simple fact of our own inability to know what is best for the world, and turn to God for His guidance.

Your journey, when it is focused on you and God, can be radically changed. We are no longer threatened by the sin and confusion that surrounds us, but we are strengthened by the spirit that lives within us. A good first step to getting there would be let God judge – NOT YOU!