Take a Hard Look In the Mirror

Pointing fingers...figuratively or in reality, we all have a tendency to do it in our lives. There may be times it is innocent in nature; other times it is to direct attention to a person. I have had my fair share of times that I have looked (down) at someone and formed a judgment about them (not simply an opinion). It is sad to say, but I have. Though it is getting less and less frequent the more I try to think like Jesus would, I am not free of it completely. It is probably one of those areas that I will always be working on. In the Matthew passage that we looked at Sunday (7:1-5), one of the bigger "hit me on the head" areas of the text was "in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." WOW! My grading scale toward someone else is what will be used to grade me..how do I measure up when I'm evaluated? Scary thought. Continuing with that thought, here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Gauge Perfection ~ Think about all the things in which you excel. Specifically, those areas you do not make mistakes in. Now, see how long that list is. One, Three, Ten, or more items? As you look to a person that you see as a bit lower than you, they can have a list, too. I am guessing that each will be fairly short, if there is any existence to them at all. As you think about the brevity (or existence) of your list, may this keep you humble to not look at someone else with a harsh judgmental attitude.
• Where are you - Tree or Roadside? ~ When Jesus came into Jericho in Luke 19, there was a great crowd alongside the road. One man was shorter than most and had a great desire to see Jesus, so he climbed up in a tree to get a better look. Jesus talked to him, invited himself over, and upon that, people started to form judgments upon Zacchaeus. When someone of "lower" (perceived) stature comes around, where are you - in the tree trying to see Jesus or looking around forming judgments about certain people? May that question just cause you to think a bit about where you "are" in those situations.
• "Embrace" People ~ Casting Crowns has a phenomenal song titled "If We are the Body" that talks about the things we can be implementing to go out and "be" the Body of Christ to people so that they will see Him in us. By doing so they will see Christ in us rather than a "judge" in us.

Jesus is not condemning the idea of forming an opinion, but rather having a harsh and brash forming of a judgment. We must watch the line between the two. This week, show Jesus by embracing them where they are at in their life!

Knowing Ourselves Better

Personalities, everyone has one.  Some are outward bound.  Some are inward bound.  Some are funny. Some are serious.  Some are witty. Some are nerdy.  It takes all kinds of personalities to make this world the wonderful place to live that it is.  Sometimes, however, we think our personality is the standard to live by and other personalities are judged on that measuring stick.
When my wife and I were in preaching school and looking into the possibility of joining a mission team we took a personality test, of sorts.  It was actually a spiritual gifts test.  But it revealed certain things about our other teammates that maybe we didn’t know.  It also revealed a sense of sympathy in me toward some of the teammates because I could now understand them better and they me.  It also uncovered an excitement in knowing some of the teammates were very similar.  This brings us to this week’s quote…

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.  ~Carl Jung

WOW! When you look into the lives of others you get to know something deeper than you ever knew before.  You may be able to see the miles they’ve been through.  Which brings the trials and victories they’ve encountered.
You may be one that is quick to assess someone based on how they are acting.  Maybe there are times you feel “above” someone or times you feel “below” someone.  Either case can cause you to be “irritated” with them for one reason or another.
May your interactions with others not lead you to make a judgment, but rather may you be moved to understand yourself a bit more.

For a little extra, read this verse (just click) and see how it fits in to today’s quote Luke 18:9-14 

Monday Mentionings: What an Embarrassment - Genesis 38:12-26

What was your most embarrassing moment? Sometime during our life we do something, in a setting where others are around, that is embarrassing. Unfortunately, for some, their “moment” may have been a result of bad judgment. If such was the case, it wasn’t a “moment” but rather a chapter in their life. Maybe that was the case for you. Yesterday, we looked at Genesis 38 and the story of two people, Judah and Tamar, each making poor choices that resulted in being, what some my consider, an embarrassment to the family name. However, through their incest relationship God brings about an amazing outcome…our Savior! Here are a few applications from yesterday’s lesson…

1. Sometimes a poor judgment can result in feeling like your world is crashing in on you. Your judgment may be clouded which results in wanting to do something “crazy”. Jesus calls us to give our burdens to Him in Matthew 11:28-30 when He says, “if you are weary and heavy burdened, come to me and I will give you rest.” Whenever you don't know what to do, may you give your "craziness" to Him!
2. If we took your life and filmed it, then showed it to your church or co-workers, how many things from your week do you think you would be cringing when it was shown? I am sure we all would want to cringe sometime during the "reveal". However, let us learn to give grace to others when they make mistakes by understanding that we all have times which we have “logs” in our own eyes (Matthew 7:1-5).
3. Have you ever done something that you had a difficult time thinking that God could/would forgive? Be encouraged and Praise God that there is no sin that God can’t forgive when we decide to commit to follow Him! God’s grace is amazing…a grace that “will pardon and cleanse within.”

Be encouraged and strengthen as you keep fighting the good fight of faith!

Don't let a clouded past deny you from having a fresh faith!

How has God been working through you lately? Leave a comment...

A forgiven embarrassment ~