FRIDAY April 3, 2020

Remove the Plank

“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:5

Understand, these are Jesus’ words; He brought His point home. People who are just playing the part become hypocrites. They act as if they have no sin when, in reality, their sin is just as bad as the other person’s sin. There is a huge beam in their eye to be taken out before they can even attempt to remove the little speck from within their brother’s eye.

Christians can have a huge plank in their own eye when they are trying to point out a speck in another believer’s eye. Jesus was saying, before you judge someone else, you better look at your own lives! From what Jesus is teaching, what is the real priority given to us? Love! You should love in your judgment, not criticize.

People will say, “I do not go to church because there are too many hypocrites.” That is a lame excuse, because maybe they are likely the biggest hypocrite of all! Why should other people keep away from worshiping and serving God? In the work force you will find hypocrites, as well as in every other area of life––everywhere you go!

What is your relationship with God like? That is what counts—bottom line. First God! When you set up your standards around God, then you should be able to love people. Usually what we are trying to do is compare people with our standards and how we want people to be––that should never be so.

We are to be men and women of integrity. Christians need to grow in Jesus Christ and in grace and love; if not, the work of God will suffer. We have a bat’s eye for our own faults, and an eagle’s for the faults of others.
~James L. Gordon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!