Matthew 7:1-6

Be Disciples: Do Not Judge

"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?"

We do this all of the time, and typically without even realizing it. Our human nature is to observe and dissect the behavior of others. As young children we use these observations to learn, but it doesn't take long and these observations turn into judgments, caddy thoughts and cruel comments when we are teenagers. One would think that as we reach adulthood these tendencies would diminish, but not necessarily. It is something we must work on daily.

Scripture frequently reminds us to leave the judging to the Lord. It is not our place to internally or externally determine that what others do, is or is not favorable, right, or acceptable. "Live and let live" is not a biblical phrase, but is also a calling to live well. With my middle school students I use "MYOB." They do not like it, but it makes them think, and challenges them to focus on themselves. Perhaps we all need that reminder. We have enough to work on with ourselves and WE should be our focus, not others. God has challenged each of us to follow his word and be the best person we can be. How can we do that if we are focusing on the behavior of others? We can't clearly see much of anything with that plank in our eye!

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Acts 9:32-43

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Remember hearing that saying before?  In the text for today, two miracles were performed by Peter; the healing of a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years, and bringing a dead woman back to life.  These actions painted pictures which enabled the people to see what God could do for His believers.  These pictures were a strong testimony for the truth.

"This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord." (Acts 9:42)

This tells me that our testimonies are very important tools for spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.  It also tells me that my actions are equally crucial.  If I talk the talk but my behavior does not reflect my words, they are useless.

It is obvious to me from reading these verses in Acts that people are watching the disciples.  They are taking in everything they are doing and they are talking about it to each other.  I think that is how it is today too.  People who know we are Christian, expect different/better behavior from us; they are watching and they are talking.

Read Acts 9:32-43 here.

I Saw That! 1 Peter 2:1-12

My husband started his new job this week. Our six week vacation has come to an end and we are excited to meet and serve the people in our new church and community. It is going to take awhile though to know who everyone is.

It has been funny, whether I walk into church or the store, I can feel eyes on me. I don’t know who people are yet but they know me. I am reminded that as a Christian I am being watched. Our passage today says, “Always let others see you behaving properly…” I am reminded through these words that what I do matters. How I behave in public reflects my relationship with God.

This can be scary at times because no one knows better than me that I am not perfect. I have to remind myself daily that I am saved by God’s grace too. This grace does not release me to sin, rather it gives me a reason to succeed.

Weather they are the eyes of your children, grandchildren, spouse, neighbor, or store clerk remember people are watching you. Let’s commit to keeping our focus on God so that one day, “they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.”

Read today passage at Biblegateway 1 Peter 2:1-12

Pharisee Behavior - Matthew 22:41-23:12

I can remember a time when, as a child, I would question my father's authority. Sunday mornings he would be instructing my sister and I to "eat your breakfast and get dressed or you will be late for church."

I often turned to him and asked, "Why should we? You don't go to church."

His response was always, "Do as I say, not as I do." End of discussion.

Now, granted, it would have been ideal if dad had joined us every Sunday at church, but that doesn't take away from the fact that his instructions to us were sound. We needed to go to church, it was important that we learned to observe Sunday as an important day.

I hear Jesus saying the same thing to the crowds in these two verses. "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matthew 23:2-3)

Jesus knew the Pharisees understood the scriptures and they knew what was right, they just did not practice what they preached. Have you ever experienced this? Have there been times in your life when you knew better, in fact you even believed otherwise, but your behavior did not reflect your knowledge?

To read all of the text for today go to Biblegateway here.