“Do
not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the
measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of
sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own
eye? How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in
your own eye? You hypocrite, first take
the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-5 NIV).
Do
not see other people with condemning verdicts less the same judgments be used
on you. The same impossible evaluating grading
standards you use on other people can just as easily be used on you. Don’t you realize that your failures are just
as glaring and your manner of condemning others will condemn you as well.
How
can you see the tiniest spot of sin in the eye of a friend and fail to see the massive bulk
of sin in your own eye? How can you say to another, “Here is a box of tissues
to clear away that irritating speck in your eye and fail to see you that you
need a wagon load of towels to clear your own eyes of your sin?” You pretender, you empty
pious religious fake. Before you are any
good to anyone else, you must be washed with the gift of the mercy that saves
you and died off with heartfelt humility knowing it is a gift from God and has nothing to do with you.
Then after you have sought forgiveness for your own sin ... you will be able to truly see through your tear filled eyes the tiny speck
in your friend's eye. Your friend might even appreciate your gentle attention and your steady careful hand helping with a piece of tissue to clear the spot of sin that has been irritating their eye.
“For
by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it
is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 ESV). We are all saved by grace, every single one of us. Christ asked us to remember that and live by the grace that saves us. Thanks be to God for His amazing grace!
“Don’t
pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of
course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of
boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be
oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me
wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this
whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou
part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face,
and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor” (Matthew 7:1-5 The
Message).
Suggested
readings … Matthew 7 & Ephesians 2
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