2008-10-31
Good Morning Dear Ones,
You’ll notice that we are spending extra time on this segment about judgment, and I believe that’s because the Holy Spirit feels it’s extra important. So, with Him in charge, I continue to write about when we must make ordinary judgment decisions. Now, let’s look at the comparison between MT 7: 5 and RO 2: 24 with IS 52: 5, respectively. “You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye…The Scripture [IS 52: 5] says, ‘Because of you Jews, the Gentiles speak evil of God,’…And now in Babylonia the same thing has happened; you are captives, and nothing was paid for you. Those who rule over you boast and brag and constantly show contempt for Me.” The citation in RO 2: 24 is not word for word, but it’s meaning is the same as what is said in IS 52: 5. In RO 2: 24, the reference to the “same thing has happened” is that Babylonia has taken the Judean people [of the southern kingdom of Judah beginning in 605 BC] away from Israel by force, just as the Israelites from the northern kingdom of Israel were taken away by force by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The warning of RO 2: 24 by Paul, written in 56 AD, is saying that the same loss of Jerusalem could take place again by force. This turned out to be prophetic, since the Romans sacked the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD, destroying the temple and putting an end to sacrifices there. Certainly, we need to spend some time considering the impact our example has on people considering whether or not to come to faith in Christ.
Let’s look at these issues from a more personal angle, rather than a political one. I can tell you from first-hand experience growing up amongst heavy intellectual and emotional competition and surrounded by judgments and criticism how it erodes the spirit and leads to feelings of worthlessness. Since as Christians people are reared to believe that we are sinners, there is always that understanding that we are less than perfect. However, I wasn’t raised in a Christian home. Instead the feeling of worthlessness and my own eroded spirit led to deep-seated anger which manifested itself when I was a teenager in really bad behavior. This was behavior that, if left unchecked, would have landed me in jail. After an overnight in juvenile hall set up by my exasperated father, the whole spiral downward was slowed. What stopped it altogether was removing me from the school where I had been going and, with having passed entrance exams, placement in an all academic high school far from my old one and with course work that engaged my mind in a way never before. Still, there were those feelings of worthlessness to deal with, feelings with which my parents were never in touch. Dealing with them came later, when I finally realized the Lord Jesus was calling me to faith in Him and was present in my life right along. We can speculate as to whether or not the Lord was prompting my father to take the actions that he did, but will never know the answer for sure. Neither of my parents were believers, and my father passed away over 40 years ago. My 95-yr. old mother [still not a believer] and I have spoken about the issues of judgment, criticisms, and destructive competition many times, but I’m not convinced even now that she fully understands their implications in rearing a child. Certainly, she understands more about it than she did when I was young.
The last paragraph of this devotion was necessarily introspective, as this approach to the subject demands that each of us should be thinking about the log in our eye vs. the speck in the eye of another. Allow Solomon to weigh in on the subject. Read these verses carefully. PR 3: 5-6, “Never relay on what you think you know. Remember the Lord I everything you do, and He will show you the right way.” PR 3: 34, “He has no use for conceited people, but show favor to those who are humble.” PR 4: 24, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” PR 8: 13, “To honor the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways, and false words.” PR 8: 19, “What you get from Me is better than the finest gold, better than the purest silver.” PR 8: 35-36, “The man who finds Me finds life, the Lord will be pleased with him. The man who does not find Me hurts himself; anyone who hates Me love death.” PR 9: 10, “To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. If you know the Holy One, you have understanding.” PR 10: 32, “Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.” PR 11: 12, “It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are smart, you will keep quiet.” PR 11: 17, “You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself.” PR 12: 14-15, “Your reward depends on what you say and what you do; you will get what you deserve. Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.” PR 12: 18, Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.” PR 13: 6, “Righteousness protects the innocent; wickedness is the downfall of sinners.” PR 13: 10, “Arrogance causes nothing but trouble. It is wiser to ask for advice.” PR 13: 16, “Sensible people always think before they act, but stupid people advertise their ignorance.” PR14: 6, “Conceited people can never become wise, but intelligent people learn easily.” PR15: 4, “Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.” PR 15: 18, “Hot tempers cause arguments but patience brings peace.” PR 16: 18, “Pride leads to destruction and arrogance to downfall.” PR 17: 22, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.”
PRAYER: O Lord, what a flood of wisdom the book of Proverbs is! What a gift to a world full of evil which needs it so badly! Christ demonstrated His love for little children in MK 10: 13-15. When the disciples had scolded the little children making noise outside the synagogue where Christ was teaching, He came out and reprimanded them. “Let the children come to Me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom for God belongs to such as these. I assure you that whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” It is not only Your will for us to be loving and kind toward little children, but also toward all other people. You have called us to be willing to learn to evaluate ourselves, without evoking guilt, against the Paradigm that Christ is. If we fall short, then we know we must adjust our thoughts, decisions, and behavior to conform with Your teaching. RO 12: 2, “Do not conform yourselves to the standards to this world, but let God transform you inwardly by the complete renewal of your mind. Than you will be able to know the will of God-what is good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect.” When we make a commitment to have faith in Christ and repent of our sins, then by His magnificent sacrifice of His life on the cross, we are saved and given the gift of the Holy Spirit [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25; JN 14: 16-18].
Today, I can testify to the great change in my own way of thinking and making decisions, to a complete turnabout in my way of life. Dearest Abba, this is personal and a covenant between You and me. I will not knowingly be judgmental, nor will I jump to quick conclusions about others. I will take the time to get understanding of the their circumstances and their real goals in relationship to Yours before I form a judgment. If I am wrong, then I will confess that and make the situation right, if possible. You are a loving God and deserve nothing less than my praise, thanks, and faithful obedience. In the holy and mighty name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
Next week, we will look at the predicament of having to deal with siblings in Christ who are sinning. In the meanwhile, notice that the last paragraph of today’s prayer is in the first person. That’s on purpose, so that as we read this, we are making a personal pledge to God that we will make improvements, if they are necessary, in the way we approach judging others in our individual lives. Remember that making a vow before God is a serious matter, as Christ taught us in MT 5: 33-37. Consider how much emotional and spiritual damage is done by parents, bosses, teachers, pastors, church leaders, and others in authority by making rapid and often incorrect judgments on others. Even in the matter of friendships, jumping to conclusions can be destructive. God’s love for us is so great that “He is working to renew us constantly in His own image, so that we might have a great knowledge of Himself [COL 3: 10].” Several years ago my friend, Phyl Burger, sent me a list of things we should know about God. He is the strength of my heart, relaxed, perfect, has continuous energy, is in control, and knows everything [even the content of our heart-attitude]. He is our Lord, our Father, and is living in us. Each one of these facts about God impact the life of a believer every day in one way or another. I would add to this list: He loves us and is always available to us though reading His word and through prayer. That means that we should seek His wisdom first before making any kind of judgment, because often He will reveal things to us we didn’t know or didn’t think applied to the situation we are in. Let that list and the truths mentioned here give each person who reads this message great comfort, comfort which is a gift from the Lord Who loves each of us so very much. Hallelujah!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn