Monday Devo

Read Luke 6:37-42. Do you remember the last time you thought for sure you were 100% right only to discover you missed something. Judging others and situations is always a dangerous thing and Jesus here gets right to the point. Most of the time our judgments are like the blind leading the blind. He gives us hope though. We can be fully trained and become like him - he is the teacher. Verse 41-42 share that part of being fully trained will be first examining ourself - getting right with God and then we can see clearly.

Philippians 1:9 says, "that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God."

We won't judge right or have "knowledge and depth of insight" until we learn to be like the teacher - specifically in the area of love. When we love like Him - we'll see what he sees. We can be a friend of sinners because we first see a hurting soul - not the sinful actions. We won't call down fire from heaven on those who annoy us or hurt us. We will see past the surface and make a right judgement. We'll realize we're not so different and we'll give grace. We'll take the plank out of our eye and love with God's heart. We'll be filled with fruit of righteousness that can only come through God!

questions

1) who is someone you have had negative thoughts and perhaps even actions with lately?

2) did you spend time taking the plank out of your own eye before making the judgement?

3) what do you think God thinks of that person? How should the change what you think?

prayer

Father forgive us for sitting in the judges chair - that is reserved for you. Lord I want to see that person like you see them - give me greater faith to do this. Lord what do you see when you look at ________ (put the name of the person from question 1 here and sit and listen to the Lord)? Lord help me to see them this way - with your heart.