You've Got Something in Your Eye- Day 8

You have a choice.

You can either read the reflection below or listen to me talk in the video here:

Day 8- Matt 7:1-12

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  3 “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? 4 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? 5 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. 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

I think it safe to see how Jesus lived this out with one notable exception, he never had anything in his eye. He would have been fully justified in judging and condemning anyone but what do we see in his life? Mercy and grace. Jesus would point out things that were holding people back when they needed it (Peter, Rich young man, and others). It is also important too for us to speak into each other's lives as we become blind to our specks and planks. The key is that we cannot ignore our own planks to worry about someone’s speck. Just as we talked about “seek first his kingdom” in the last reflection so too we see here to ask, seek and knock. It is worth pointing out that ask, seek and knock is pretty much the opposite of what this passage starts out with of judging. For us to ask, seek and knock is to pursue and maintain relationship with Jesus and then live it out in our relationships with each other. We are to be a people defined by grace and mercy because that is who Jesus is.

You are invited to pray or to be prayed for. As we learn more about who Jesus is let us then enter into prayer and be shaped by him.