Judge Not
On a trip to the southern Toledo district of Belize, we had a new person with us. He managed to turn over our dugout canoe and fill our boots with water. Then we had to hike from Santa Ana, near the Moho River, to Midway, seven miles through the jungle. This young athlete was not quite up to the task and he passed out from heat exhaustion.
Greg and I had to carry our new guy back to our base, another seven miles through the jungle. Our feet were blistered, we were hot and tired and every step along the way we said, “If Jesus could die for us, then we can live for Him.”
As you face this day, regardless of what “blisters” you have in your life and no matter what struggles you are facing, remember that Jesus indeed died for you so we must do all we can to live for Him.
It is not always the everyday trials and aggravations that bother us, but being around those individuals who rub us the wrong way. We all have people like that in our lives—co-workers, family members and just people we must deal with on a regular basis.
The next time you are tempted to point out someone else’s shortcomings, or the next time that particular “irritant” frustrates you, read Matthew 7:3-5. It says:
“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.”
We all fall short of the grace and mercy that is freely extended to us by Christ. None of us deserves His love and blessings, yet, He pours them out upon us. Today, strive to see others as Christ sees them, then love them as He would—without conditions, without judgment or condemnation.
