Heartleaf Iceplant (Aptenia cordifolia) by Jj Harrison
Good morning, beloved!
It is so good to be in His presence this morning, surrounded by my boys and hubby. We are looking through the paper, shocked at more violence and mayhem in Wisconsin yesterday. We are enjoying the quiet of a beautiful morning. The sun streaming through the windows. Starburst trying to find bones and balls to throw in our laps. She has a ball (she’s really not supposed to have) so it’s close to her mouth and she’s trying to sneaky by touching the ball lightly with her front paw to bring it to her mouth. We are all having a good laugh. It feels good to laugh.
Our hope does not rest in our circumstances. Our hope is not in what society can offer. Our hope can only be found in Him. Proclaim it this morning. God has blessed you. He has blessed me, my family. No matter our circumstances we look to faithful God to supply all our needs. When people ask how I doing, it’s hard for me to answer. Our circumstances overwhelm me and I don’t know how to start the conversation. Yet, I don’t lose hope and I know people care. My faith is buoyed by people’s care. So as I turn to our study this morning, I thank you, once again, for reading these words, praying for us and if I can ever pray for you, please share.
Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged andcriticized and condemned yourselves.
2 For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticizedand condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.
3 Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.
Let’s remember Jesus’ audience here. Matthew 5: 1
Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
Jesus is speaking to the multitudes. This message is for all who hear. So is he calling us a hypocrite? We have to be careful when we are speaking not to judge a situation, give our opinion and think that our words helped another. Ahem. Rather, in our conversation, should it not always start with the Spirit‘s guidance and prayer for words that glorify the King?
Hypocrite (hypokritēs); corresponding to the above, primarily denotes “one who answers;” then, “a stage-actor;” it was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of the voice; hence the word became used metaphorically of “a dissembler, a hypocrite.
When we wear our masks, pretending everything is okay and pronounce judgement on others, we are in sin. Plain and simple.
Judge(krino): primarily denotes “to separate, select, choose;” hence, “to determine,” and so “to judge, pronounce judgment.” “The uses of this verb in the NT may be analyzed as follows: (a) to assume the office of a judge
Goodness, what qualifies me to judge? Nothing. Nothing at all. When I get to the end of my life and I meet my maker, my desire, my goal is to walk through my life with Him and we see together that through the power of His Spirit, I fought the urge to judge or condemn others. It has never been my place. Lord, forgive me!
Jesus knows our timbers. He knows the logs. Our eyes are not pure without the Spirit’s guidance and influence. The Word should be our guide in our conversations.
Alright, beloved, my day calls to me. Think, pray on. Pray on.
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