Heart opening from the Apostle Paul — you have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else.
If you are looking in your heart for an excuse, don't. I did that for years... everybody does. This is pride talking. 🙏
The sixth evening in Jarnac-Champagne. Romans chapter 2. Paul turns the mirror.
In Romans 1 Paul described sin — and the reader nodded about "those people." Then Paul turns. Chapter 2: YOU. The finger pointing outward points inward. The judge stands condemned.
Le speaks from experience: I did that for years. The years of excuse-making. The invisible plank. Then the gift came. The kindness came. The excuses stopped. When you've been mercied, excuses have nowhere to stand.
This is pride talking. Le names the root. Pride. The pride that says: I deserve kindness, they deserve judgment. The pride that makes excuses for self while accusing others.
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."
"O homme, qui que tu sois, toi qui juges, tu es donc inexcusable; car, en jugeant les autres, tu te condamnes toi-même, puisque toi qui juges, tu fais les mêmes choses."
Romains 2:1 · Louis SegondPaul springs the trap. The reader nodded about "those people." Now: YOU. No excuse.
"No excuse." Inexcusable. Anapologētos — without defense. The same word from 1:20. The suppressor has no excuse — neither does the judge.
"You do the same things." Tu fais les mêmes choses. Jesus in Matthew 7: the speck and the plank. The judge's plank is invisible to the judge. But not to God.
Le said: I did that for years. Everybody does. The excuse-making is universal because the pride is universal. The mercied one has no right to condemn.
"Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"
"Nous savons, en effet, que le jugement de Dieu contre ceux qui commettent de telles choses est selon la vérité. Et penses-tu, ô homme, qui juges ceux qui commettent de telles choses, et qui les fais, que tu échapperas au jugement de Dieu?"
Romains 2:2-3 · Louis Segond"Based on truth." Selon la vérité. Kata alētheian. Human judgment: comparison — "at least I'm not like them." God's judgment: truth. Not compared to neighbors. Compared to reality.
"Do you think you will escape?" Penses-tu que tu échapperas? If you do the same things — why would judgment skip you? The pride that finds excuses is the pride that thinks it will escape.
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
"Ou méprises-tu les richesses de sa bonté, de sa patience et de sa longanimité, ne reconnaissant pas que la bonté de Dieu te pousse à la repentance?"
Romains 2:4 · Louis SegondTonight's summit.
"Contempt." Méprises-tu. Kataphroneō — to despise, to take for granted. The judge takes God's kindness for granted — assuming patience is deserved while wrath should fall on others. That is contempt for kindness.
"Riches of kindness, forbearance and patience." Les richesses de sa bonté, de sa patience et de sa longanimité. Three words — chrēstotēs, anochē, makrothumia. And they are rich. The same "rich in mercy" from Ephesians 2:4.
"God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." La bonté de Dieu te pousse à la repentance. Not wrath. Not terror. KINDNESS. To chrēston tou theou eis metanoian se agei — the kindness of God leads you. Leads. Not drives. Not forces. Leads.
Le's testimony confirms it: I didn't know what righteousness was. It was gifted to me. Not terrified into the kingdom. Led by kindness. Gifted by grace. Welcomed by patience.
And Le's friend — Le does what God does. Leading with kindness, not driving with judgment. She lets me share. No condemnation. Kindness. Patience. The open door. Romans 2:4 lived.
Le said: don't look for an excuse. This is pride. The one who stopped making excuses — now warns others with the authority of experience. Not from a pulpit. From a motorhome in France. From a debtor paying the debt of kindness received. 🙏
"If you are looking in your heart for an excuse, don't. I did that for years... everybody does. This is pride talking."
Le · Jarnac-Champagne, France · August 30, 2026 · God's kindness leads to repentance — not wrath, not terror, kindnessThe Mirror Turns
Paul's trap — from "those sinners" to "YOU." The finger turns inward. The judge stands condemned.
No Excuse
Anapologētos — indefensible. Don't look for one. I did that for years. This is pride talking.
The Kindness That Leads
God's kindness leads to repentance. Not wrath. Not terror. Kindness. Le was led, not driven.
Kindness Lived
Le shares the way God shared — gently, patiently, through an open door. Romans 2:4 lived.