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The gift of seeing one's own sins and not judging one's brother
In the third part of the prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, we ask God for one of the most important gifts of spiritual life:
"Yes, Lord King, let me see my sins and not condemn my brother, for You are blessed forever and ever. Amen."
This request reveals a profound truth about the human heart: It is very easy for a person to see the sins of others, but extremely difficult to see their own.
The Holy Fathers have said more than once:
When a person begins to look carefully into his own heart, he no longer has time to judge others.
Why do we judge others so easily?
Judgment often arises from spiritual blindness. We notice the mistakes of our neighbor, but do not see our own shortcomings. A person is inclined to justify himself and at the same time harshly judge others.
A hermit, a profound spiritual mentor, once said:
"Lord, grant me to see my sins and not to judge my brother."
This short request contains all the wisdom of the spiritual life. For when a person begins to see his falls, his weakness, and his need for God's mercy, his heart changes.
Judgment closes the heart. The Holy Fathers explained that judgment not only hurts one's neighbor, but above all hurts the one who judges.
When a person judges, he puts himself in the place of a judge. But judgment belongs only to God.
Therefore, one of the elders said:
"It is not for one person to judge another."
Only God sees the heart, only He knows all circumstances, only He can fairly evaluate human life.
The Holy Fathers teach that spiritual life begins from the moment a person begins to see his own imperfection.
When a person sees their own weakness, they stop judging. They become more compassionate towards others, because they understand that everyone has their own struggle.
One of the elders said:
"The closer the soul draws to God, the more it sees its sinfulness."
And this does not lead to despair. On the contrary, it opens the heart to humility and repentance.
Humility opens the way to God. When a person stops judging others and starts working on himself, true humility is born in his heart.
Humility is not humiliation, but being truthful about yourself before God.
The person admits:
• your weakness
• its imperfection
• your need for God's grace.
And that's when true spiritual growth begins.
The Holy Fathers said:
"The closer the soul is to God, the more it sees its sinfulness."
Therefore, a person who lives with God will never be proud. He will not judge others, because he knows his own weakness.
When a person lives before God, their perspective changes. They look more at Christ than at the sins of others.
Constant awareness of one's own imperfection is required.
The end of this prayer teaches us an important spiritual attitude—a constant awareness of our own imperfection.
This doesn't mean living in fear or self-blame. It means living in truth.
Man knows that he needs God.
He knows that without God's grace he cannot overcome sin.
And that is why she prays:
"Lord, let me see my sins and not judge my brother."
Summary
The prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian teaches us three important things:
1. look first into your own heart;
2. do not become a judge for others;
3. seek God's mercy for yourself and for your neighbors.
When a person begins to live with this attitude, their heart becomes quieter, more humble, and closer to God.
And then the words of prayer become not just words, but a path of spiritual life:
"Let me see my sins and not judge my brother, for You are blessed forever and ever."
