SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 12
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! [2 Samuel 12:5] Nathan works David into a corner, and gets him to face his own sin head on, and to realize the judgment he deserves. This is normally how it goes, doesn’t it? We are so good at seeing other peoples flaws, faults and failures, sooner than we see our own. Our natural tendency is to minimize our own flaws, and maximize others. Even reading this story about David (or about Tiger Woods today in the news), we may be quick to shake our heads and wonder at how stupid they are.

As if we don’t have our own areas of stupidity. Well sure, but not those ones (we might respond). Really? Do we think that we are not blind to our own problems, just as David was? Do we not tend to minimize or justify our own sins and mistakes? Jesus reveals this quality in us: 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 7:4-5]

I expect that on the day of judgment we will see people there that we think don’t belong there – terrible sinners. Then the Lord will do to us what Nathan did to David, make us see our own sins from His perspective. The idea of our whole life flashing before our eyes when we die, though just a story, is probably more true than we realize. Only the Lord will cause us to see our sins as he sees them, not as we minimized or justified them.

Better to be honest now, to admit that we are probably deceived in some ways, and that what seems small to us is bigger than it seems; and what seems bigger in others may not be as big as we think. Remember, each person’s own sins – no matter what they are – are always a plank. While other peoples sins – no matter what they are – are always a speck to us. Honesty with God is the best policy. David faces his sin [see Psalm 51]. Like David, we deserve to die for our sin. Like David, we suffer consequences for our sins but we do not receive the ultimate death penalty. Notice also that others suffer because of our sins.

This reading challenges me to be honest with God, to seek mercy, and to know that He is merciful and good. No time to focus on the flaws and faults and failures of others, I’ve got enough problems myself!

PRAYER:
Lord, help me deal with my own sins before I judge others about there’s.