Matthew 7:1-5
“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.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
We took Timothy and Zola to the park to play after church and lunch today. While we were there, both children had “boomerang” experiences. Timothy was pushing a teeter-totter up and down, and it caught him on the upswing and hit his ear, knocking him to the ground. Zola was pushing a tire swing, and as the tire returned, it smacked her in the forehead, and she fell over, too. Both children were okay, but they both got the point that when you push, sometimes things push back!
We have all been hypocrites in one way or another. We criticize when we should keep our mouths shut. We readily see others’ faults…but turn a blind eye to our own. And sometimes, this comes back to knock us off our feet!
Here’s the good news…Jesus loves us…warts and all. And He loves that person you have criticized, too. We should be mindful of this as we formulate our thoughts and opinions…and grateful that God is so merciful toward us!
If we want to be like Jesus, we have to learn to be more inclusive…more tolerant…more accepting and less critical. If we want others to treat us in this manner, we have to first demonstrate these traits to them. No one will ever want to hear what we have to say about Jesus until we demonstrate His love and non-judgmental stance…and who could blame them?!
This scripture passage says it all pretty well. Just as Timothy and Zola must learn that pushing on these things will cause a direct – and uncomfortable – return “push”…we must learn that our critical and intolerant spirit has consequences, as well. The last thing we should want is to dishonor our relationship with Jesus – or to misrepresent His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion for all who trust in Him. Yet this is what we do any time we are critical and overbearing toward someone else.
But we can change this…and we can start today. Will you join me? Will you examine your heart and see where you could operate with a more loving, tolerant spirit? It’s time to kick nitpicking and fault-finding to the curb and operate in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. What do you say…are you with me?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label seeing faults and flaws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seeing faults and flaws. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for January 8, 2015
Ephesians 4:2
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I finally got all of our Christmas decorations taken down and packed away for another year. As I “undressed” the Christmas trees (yes, we have more than one!), and boxed up my nativity collection, the thought occurred to me more than once…”These are going in a plastic bin upstairs in the attic…no need to wrap each one so carefully.”
Then I considered these ornaments and decorations…which are truly just “things”…but they represent so much more. There are the ornaments that my students lovingly gave to me almost 40 years ago…the wooden pieces I painted by number in our first years of marriage…the precious decorations my Mam-ma Polly made for us, and the delicate trinkets I inherited from my maternal grandparents’ tree. There are nativity sets that I purchased with a beloved cousin and sister-in-law who share similar tastes and interests…the plaster set that I rescued at the estate sale of my mom’s first-grade teacher…and the Madonnas that I have purchased at the local estate sales of people who made a difference in my life – and now celebrate Christmas every day in heaven.
Virtually every piece tells a story…has some sort of meaning. But even those that were merely bought at an after-Christmas-sale or have been broken and glued back together have worth and deserve careful treatment. And that’s what God is telling us in this verse. Each one of His creatures is precious. We are no better than the next person. We must make allowances for the faults and flaws of others – just as they (hopefully) do for us.
So this year, I gently covered my decorations in tissue and bubble-wrap. I sorted and cleaned and carefully boxed away these “things” that help to make the holidays so cozy and special. I set aside a few items to mend and rejuvenate…and I gave care to even the most pedestrian ornaments and trinkets. I thank God that He does this for me each and every day…and I am going to step up my game with regard to how I treat others in His kingdom. Are you with me?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I finally got all of our Christmas decorations taken down and packed away for another year. As I “undressed” the Christmas trees (yes, we have more than one!), and boxed up my nativity collection, the thought occurred to me more than once…”These are going in a plastic bin upstairs in the attic…no need to wrap each one so carefully.”
Then I considered these ornaments and decorations…which are truly just “things”…but they represent so much more. There are the ornaments that my students lovingly gave to me almost 40 years ago…the wooden pieces I painted by number in our first years of marriage…the precious decorations my Mam-ma Polly made for us, and the delicate trinkets I inherited from my maternal grandparents’ tree. There are nativity sets that I purchased with a beloved cousin and sister-in-law who share similar tastes and interests…the plaster set that I rescued at the estate sale of my mom’s first-grade teacher…and the Madonnas that I have purchased at the local estate sales of people who made a difference in my life – and now celebrate Christmas every day in heaven.
Virtually every piece tells a story…has some sort of meaning. But even those that were merely bought at an after-Christmas-sale or have been broken and glued back together have worth and deserve careful treatment. And that’s what God is telling us in this verse. Each one of His creatures is precious. We are no better than the next person. We must make allowances for the faults and flaws of others – just as they (hopefully) do for us.
So this year, I gently covered my decorations in tissue and bubble-wrap. I sorted and cleaned and carefully boxed away these “things” that help to make the holidays so cozy and special. I set aside a few items to mend and rejuvenate…and I gave care to even the most pedestrian ornaments and trinkets. I thank God that He does this for me each and every day…and I am going to step up my game with regard to how I treat others in His kingdom. Are you with me?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 5, 2013
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord told him, “Samuel, don’t think Eliab is the one just because he’s tall and handsome. He isn’t the one I’ve chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We don’t have to look very far to see people who appear to have it all… yet their lives are falling apart. Have you ever asked yourself why “hunks” and “leading ladies” seem to have trouble staying in a relationship or marriage? Have you ever heard celebrities who were being interviewed by a talk show host declare that they would like to find love, but it kept eluding them? Do you notice how many “rich and famous” people seem to have trouble with addictions, money management, and more?
Looks are deceiving… and I, for one, am thankful that God sees beyond appearances. I’m glad that He doesn’t choose to love us based on the success of our last movie, whether our nose is shaped just right, or because we have the perfect abs and a full head of gorgeous (natural) hair! God loves us… He cares what we think and feel, how we treat others, and how we serve Him!
What about you? How do you judge others? Do you look at their skin color, socio-economic status, political leanings, sexual preferences, nationality, or whether or not society deems them to be “beautiful”? Are they too young, too old, too fat, too thin, or just too ugly? Or do you choose to look at their heart… to see them as God sees them… to recognize their innate sense of right and wrong - and whether they desire to serve God and share His love with their fellow man?
We are all far too judgmental… for all the wrong reasons. We put way too much emphasis on appearances… physical, material, and otherwise. It’s time we started getting to know people and looking at their character - their heart - and their potential to serve as a disciple of Christ. We need to choose to see what God sees. What are you choosing?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But the Lord told him, “Samuel, don’t think Eliab is the one just because he’s tall and handsome. He isn’t the one I’ve chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We don’t have to look very far to see people who appear to have it all… yet their lives are falling apart. Have you ever asked yourself why “hunks” and “leading ladies” seem to have trouble staying in a relationship or marriage? Have you ever heard celebrities who were being interviewed by a talk show host declare that they would like to find love, but it kept eluding them? Do you notice how many “rich and famous” people seem to have trouble with addictions, money management, and more?
Looks are deceiving… and I, for one, am thankful that God sees beyond appearances. I’m glad that He doesn’t choose to love us based on the success of our last movie, whether our nose is shaped just right, or because we have the perfect abs and a full head of gorgeous (natural) hair! God loves us… He cares what we think and feel, how we treat others, and how we serve Him!
What about you? How do you judge others? Do you look at their skin color, socio-economic status, political leanings, sexual preferences, nationality, or whether or not society deems them to be “beautiful”? Are they too young, too old, too fat, too thin, or just too ugly? Or do you choose to look at their heart… to see them as God sees them… to recognize their innate sense of right and wrong - and whether they desire to serve God and share His love with their fellow man?
We are all far too judgmental… for all the wrong reasons. We put way too much emphasis on appearances… physical, material, and otherwise. It’s time we started getting to know people and looking at their character - their heart - and their potential to serve as a disciple of Christ. We need to choose to see what God sees. What are you choosing?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 16, 2013
May 16 ~ Ephesians 4:1-3
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
A wonderful Christian friend of mine shared a video on Facebook from Upworthy.com* about how we look at adulthood… and the choices we make. A lot of what seems boring or mundane to us has to do with how we choose to see things. We can look at a long grocery check-out line as an aggravation and inconvenience… or a chance to pray. We can be irritated by the lady ahead of us with two kids tugging on her who is in a discussion with the cashier over a grocery coupon… or see her as a busy working mother who is struggling to make ends meet and really needs that extra $1 off her bill. We can see the oversized cars in the traffic lanes as road hogs… or we can recognize that this may be a vehicle that young parents chose because of its sturdiness and safety factors for hauling their little ones back and forth to daycare and other destinations.
And so it is with those who try our patience. We can choose to see their faults and flaws and the things about them that drive us nuts… or we can try to see what God sees… another of His creations…someone who is just as precious and has just as much potential – and is just as flawed - in His eyes as you and I. We can be humble and gentle and recognize that every person has a story… there is a heartache on every pew (as my pastor often says) – and in every grocery line and traffic lane. We can recognize that we do not corner the market on God’s love… or on His patience. We can do better at making an effort to stay united in the Spirit and operating from a place of peace.
If we are truly born-again, Spirit-filled Christians, we must choose to operate more from the place in our hearts where the Holy Spirit resides and less from our human desires. We must call on the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, actions… and choices… and to grant us an extra-hefty dose of patience in many instances. And He will do this… and the shift in our attitude will be palpable and fully obvious… in our own daily living – and in the lives of those around us.
What do you say? Are you leading a life worthy of your calling by God? Are you seeing even the most trivial and seemingly insignificant moments as opportunities to exercise humility, gentleness, and patience… a chance to choose peace over stress, strife, or even momentary irritation? Isn’t it time we shifted our attitude in this area and began to choose according to the Holy Spirit? Are you ready to answer the call?
©2013 Debbie Robus
*http://www.upworthy.com/the-earth-shatteringly-amazing-speech-that-ll-change-the-way-you-think-about-adulthood-4?g=4
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