There are few names in America today that draw more scorn than the name Anthony Weiner.

He has destroyed his once-promising political career, demolished his high-profile marriage, and disgraced himself as an individual. His private sins are on full display for the world to see – including his sexually perverted texts to a minor – and he is the constant butt of comedians’ jokes.

He is even affecting the presidential election, as his laptop, allegedly containing classified emails from Hillary Clinton, was only in the possession of the FBI because the bureau was investigating his sexting with a minor, and now the uncovering of his sins appears to be uncovering the sins of others, perhaps even the Democratic presidential nominee.

Most recently, it was reported that Weiner had checked into a clinic for sexual addiction, and it was when I read that news that the thought hit me: As followers of Jesus, rather than mocking Anthony Weiner for his perverse acts, we should pity the man and pray for his salvation and deliverance. But are we? Or have we been laughing at the vicious jokes told at his expense? Worse still, have we been doing so while we look down our long, self-righteous noses and say, “Thank God I’m not a perverted sex addict like he is”?

Without a doubt, Anthony Weiner has brought his troubles on himself, and he has no one to blame but himself. And without a doubt, what he has done is gross and ugly and perverted.

But what if all of our texts or emails or words or acts were revealed to the whole world to see? How righteous would we appear?

What if our worst failings most embarrassing moments were broadcast on national TV or posted all over the Internet? How much different would we look than Weiner?

I certainly hope that most of us have not done what he has done, but let’s just say you watched pornography in the last month – even for a minute. How would that look on your public résumé, especially if you are pastor or spiritual leader?

Or what if you’re married and your texts and emails to a close friend or co-worker were a little too chummy? What if you even engaged in some flirtatious talk? How would that look if the whole world was watching?

And let’s remember what Jesus said about lust and adultery too: “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:27-28, NLT).

Based on these standards, how do you fare?

If your thought life was revealed to the world, would you look better than Anthony Weiner? Perhaps you would look even worse?

My point here is not to minimize his guilt or to say that he should not be held accountable for his sins (and, perhaps, crimes). To the contrary, as we look at his life – quite a tragic life at the moment – we are reminded of the biblical dictum that our sins will find us out (see Numbers 32:23).

But we do well to search our own hearts before we condemn him, and by all means, we must separate ourselves from a self-righteous mocking attitude that laughs as a man destroys his life in full view of hundreds of millions of people.

Unfortunately, it’s so easy for us to get caught up in the spirit of the world, taking on all kinds of unkind, uncivil, and unchristian attitudes, especially during this political season.

We become crude and vulgar, our hearts are filled with judgmentalism and anger, and we exhibit very little grace towards those who differ with us.

“Only I am right; only I am wise; only my opinions count, while the opinions of those who differ with me are worthy of scorn.”

And then we celebrate our carnality (especially on social media), as if the bolder we are in our foolishness the wiser we are.

And all the while, a dying, hurting, confused world looks on and says, “Those Christians are no different than the rest of us, except for one thing: their hypocrisy.”

Let us not forget that without Jesus, we would all be hopelessly lost, still enslaved to all kinds of lusts and sins, worthy of damnation before a holy God. And the forgiveness we received was not because of our merit but because of the merit of His Son.

In light, then, of the mercy that was shown to us, we should show mercy to others.

And rather than laugh at the Anthony Weiners of this world, we should pray for their transformation, believing that the same God who changed us from children of the devil to children of the Lord can change Anthony Weiner too.

After all, if He could take a heroin-shooting, LSD-using, 16-year-old, hell-bound, rebellious hippie rock drummer like me and turn that person into a Bible school president who has been happily married for more than 40 years with wonderful kids and grandkids, He could change anyone.

With that in mind, let’s look at every hopeless, lost person we meet through the eyes of the Redeemer.

Perhaps one day, the name Anthony Weiner will be associated with a miraculous story of grace, redemption, and restoration.