Discipling the Undisciplined no. 24

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye” (Matthew 7:1-5). Remember, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”(Matthew 6:12)? And remember, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:44-45)? And how about even, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7)? Nope. I would rather do my best to justify that what I am doing is not judgment BUT something else. Maybe my judgment is righteous? Maybe judgment is there to correct sinners? Maybe my judgment is there to rescue folks from damnation? Nope. My judgment is always to create the other, the out group, the one that is lesser. My judgment is always to elevate myself and place a pedestal beneath me. “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; because the day of their calamity is at hand, their doom comes swiftly” (Deuteronomy 32:35). That wasn’t me talking in that quote, that was God.

It can be so easy to pass judgment on who is a sinner, a heretic, a nonChristian, when everything you do makes you saved. BUT nothing I do EVER makes me saved. God saves me through His grace. NOTHING I DO EVER MAKES ME NOT A SINNER. The only thing that ever justifies me before God, the only thing that ever makes me righteous, the only thing that ever makes me better, is God’s mercy and grace. And it makes me no better than anyone else because He gives His mercy and grace to everyone. All people are given His grace. That is kind of what it is all about. Nothing I do makes me worthy of grace and mercy. It’s a gift from Him. Nothing I do can repay Him for the gift because it is a gift. And whenever I feel myself thinking I am better at being a Christian, better at my study, better at my prayer, better at my routine, better at understanding God, I have to remember that none of that matters in salvation. God allows me to live the life He has set before me to serve Him. I need to not get things twisted and think that God owes me anything. I owe Him everything. And gratitude for that situation should humble my perspective on everything else.

And that is why I don’t like to say I am saved because I am not saved yet. I am working out my salvation. I am following Him. Just like everyone else, I am not deserving of salvation. BUT, just like everyone else, it is not up to me. Salvation is in God’s control. So, whenever I want to think that my calling makes me better, that my understanding makes me better, that my church attendance makes me better, that what I do makes me better, that what I don’t do makes me better . . . The only thing that makes me better is Him.

Grace and Shalom to your home. 

#DisciplingTheUndisciplined #ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ServeOneAnotherInLove #NotMyWayYHWH