There is a saying that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Once someone fools or hurts us, to protect ourselves we may only see them in one way. While we do not need to continually make ourselves vulnerable to the wicked ways of others, we should realize that people can change!
God allows for us to change. We are sinners, but He allows us to be changed and redeemed through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through God's power, we can become new! God's redemption is open to everyone. If someone truly accepts forgiveness and commits to following God, we cannot allow our judgments to stand in the way. We must acknowledge that, through God's power, people, including us, can be changed. We need to encourage and allow them to change!
Acknowledge God's power and role in your life and then allow people to change!
Prayer:
Dear God-
Thank You for being a life-changing presence in the world. Help me to encourage others and to allow them to change into Your new creations. Through Jesus I pray, amen.