SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:37-42
OBSERVATION:
1. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged… Forgive, and you will be forgiven” – This does not mean we should not discern right from wrong, but Jesus does warn us about condemning the sinner. It is up to God to make the final decision, and while there is time, there is hope. We need to be a part of that hope by modelling love and forgiveness. It may be our mercy that leads them to repentance.
2. “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” – This is a principle of life! We get what we give. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Occasional exceptions do not change this, it normally goes this way. Unfriendly people have a hard time making friends. God is warning us that just as our forgiveness depends on God’s mercy, so does our enemies (or the person we are mad at). The scary implication is that God will only be as merciful to us as we are to others. Do you want that? Do I?
3. “Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” – Good teacher, good result; bad teacher, bad result. Choose very carefully who you follow. Jesus speaks for and models mercy, and if we follow Him fully, we will become like Him. If we don’t, we won’t. And we will end up where the path that we do choose leads. Jesus is warning us to choose our path wisely.
4. “First take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly” – Honesty requires this. How can we judge others of sins that we ourselves commit? How can we be mad at someone who forgot our birthday, if we have done so in the past (even just once)? I may not have the same addiction as someone else, but I do have my own addiction or sinful habit that plagues me. If we take Jesus seriously here, we will never have the opportunity to criticize others, because there will always be an abundance of planks at home to deal with.
APPLICATION:
Do I really want to be like Jesus? Do I really want NOT to be like Him? There is no middle ground. The way of the sinful flesh is self-serving and self-destructive, as well as hurtful to God and others. The way of Jesus is self-denying but ultimately self-fulfilling, and beneficial to God and others. If ‘christians’ would decide to just follow this passage, what a difference it would make in the world! If I would just follow this passage…
PRAYER:
Lord, I can be hard on the church for its failures, but You are showing me my own deficiencies. Help me to stop focusing on the negative in others, and start focusing on the positive in You. Help me to want to be like You! Amen.
In our daily living, we are very observant how others live. We tend to covet or to make comments about their life style. The Lord here tells us once again, be carefull little eyes what you see. The way you judge others, by those very standards we will be judged. Once again , do unto others as you would have them do unto you. How would I react if I met my ‘twin’, seeing clearly how I live each day? What would I say?
Christ tells us to imitate Him, Christian by name, doers of the same. How Christ-like am I in my daily actions? Help me Lord to be more like Jesus this day so others can see You in me always.
Lord, open my eyes that I might see You more clearly this day. Give me the vision I need. I need the eyes that see You and Your Way and not mine. Your will needs to be done this day and always. Then I can be an instrument of Your peace. Help me to have 20/20 vision. Then Thy will can be done here on earth by me, Your disciple, Christian by name.
We are pilgrims on a journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load
Brother, let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant, too