Not cutting slack; cutting slack

We should want to show people respect and compassion, but sometimes you can't do both. We want to treat a fellow adult with dignity and let them make their choices and exercise their God-given responsibilities without stepping in to read their minds or cushion things for them, even as we see them making bad choices. We don't shelter them from the consequences of their actions as we might shelter a child. It is dignifying to them to have to experience what comes of what was done, and may also be more helpful long-term. Justice and discipline borne of God are beautiful - because they show that our choices matter, that the people making them matter.

Yet we want to treat a fellow human with compassion, to cut them slack and show mercy towards them in their weakness, remembering that we have many of our own. We want to step in and ease the way for them, take the burden of failure away, shower them with generous, merciful care, and help them in their present need. This mirrors the beauty of God's mercy towards us hateful, rebellious sinners.

Sometimes it's one and sometimes it's the other, and sometimes you can see your way clear to a bit of both. It takes a wisdom and courage that only God can give, so it's just lucky that he does :).