Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
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?
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."
Being judgemental of others is something we all are tempted to do! Whether it's our friends, family, or the stranger on the street, we often can look at people and point out their faults. We can be quick to think negatively of them! Jesus teaches us not to be so quick to judge. To not judge unfairly because we will be judged the same way we judge others. What does that mean?
Well, if we are harsh or mean, we will be judged harshly and mean. If we judge fairly and with grace we will be judged fairly and with grace. After all, we all have sinned. No one is better than anyone else. We all need Jesus and his loving kindness to help us to be more like him.
Jesus goes on to say "first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
We need to focus on asking Jesus to help us with out faults and shortcomings before we start pointing out the faults in others. Jesus was talking to people who spent all their time thinking about what everyone else was doing wrong, and the whole time they pretended like they were perfect! We really need Jesus' help to accept the love he has for us and the love he has for others. It's important that we let Jesus teach us to see others the way he sees them.
This week let's pray and ask Jesus to help us to love others, to be kind, and the ask for forgiveness of our own sin!
