How many times have you read Matthew 7:3-5 and really taken it to heart? Go ahead and read it again to get familiar with today’s inspirational message straight from the New Testament.
Matthew 7:3-5 says in the New Living Translation of the New Life Bible “…And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite. First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
What does it mean? Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice doing what?
Practive forgiveness, patience, honesty, kindness, discipline, sensitivity, loving, caring. And then…preach.
You cannot preach to others what you have not first practiced yourself. If you try to you are ultimately practicing hypocrisy. Refrain from pointing your finger at someone if you have not first and/or cannot point the finger at yourself. Correct yourself first. Own your mistakes first. Then, and only then, can you expect others to do the same.
Of course, we know no one is perfect – including you. So always finding fault in everyone, but yourself is evidence that you are living a life of denial. It’s denial because you cast stones, but don’t believe you need to duck for the ones being thrown back your way. Once you sincerely and completely face yourself, you’ll begin to see life and others around you with a new level of sensitivity, love, forgiveness and empathy.
The Bible also says we are not to judge yet we are to be judged according to Matthew 7:1-2. It may be easier to look at someone else’s faults, but ti’s not fair to them nor is it what God would have us do. Don’t judge others and set a high expectation for your neighbor, but for yourself allow continuous grace, mercy and plain old excuses.
God is the only judge and you should celebrate the fact that He has not judged you based on your actions. But, rather, He gives each of us new mercies with each morning we see. We all should be doing the same for each other.
The only perfect man to walk this earth was Jesus Christ. And, until He returns, we all are working in imperfection striving to become perfect in Christ.
Feel free to share your thoughts and responses with us below by asking yourself when and if you’ve not practicing what you preach. What will you take from these aforementioned scriptures to help you be more kind, loving and generous to your neighbor?
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