When To Judge
Judging Others
1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 "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? 4 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? 5 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.
6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Bee's Thoughts:
"Ask, seek, knock" - that was what I wrote at my blog 2 days ago. Now I am reading it again... a reinforcement? The principle behind them is asking wisely for things that are good for us (not in our viewpoint, but in the Father's viewpoint). Perhaps God wants us to ask wisdom from God in the matter of judgement?
I encountered a mysteriously 'big' problem today and I prayed that God would help me find the 'culprits' of that problem. He did just that! When I got home at night after church, the mystery was solved... I knew who the culprits are -- the bank and me. :( I still feel a little sore about the whole incidence but I have to acknowledge my part of the mistake too.
The moral of the story: judge not others till I judge myself first. I did that by checking at my end to see if I have made any mistake too. I found my mistake, though not entirely mine. Yes, we all make mistakes, so we need to be gracious towards others' shortcomings and be more forgiving.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for helping me solve the mystery so fast. Thank You for answering my prayer. I pray that when I go to the bank tomorrow things will be settled smoothly. Let me always judge myself first before I judge others. Let me be gracious just like You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tommy's Thoughts:
One of the ways to know about someone is to watch how they criticize others. Most of the time, when a person becomes overly critical and judgmental over certain traits in others is in fact the untamed habits and behavior patterns they dislike in themselves.
Jesus teaches us to always be aware of our motives first before judging others. It’s always easy and quick for us to criticize, but do take a step first next time to examine whether we deserve the same criticism.
Dear Lord, thank You for teaching to rightly representing Christ to others. To be aware of my words and conduct, not to judge others, but myself first. Teach me Lord to be discerning rather than voicing out negative remarks; to refrain from being hypocritical to bring others down in order to build myself up and to patiently and lovingly forgive others. Lord, I trust You to be final and only Judge (1 Corinthians 4:3-5). Amen.
.......the devotion of Bee & Tommy
