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“Judging By God's Standard”

Thoughts for Today:

In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus said this about judging: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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? 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? 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."

The principle Jesus teaches is not that we aren't to judge, just not to judge by our own standard. We are to use God's standard as set forth in Scripture. It goes like this:

1. If I judge myself based upon God's standard, I become aware of the "plank" in my own eye.

2. As I come to understand the nature of my own sin, the more I realize the depth of God's grace, mercy and love -- and the help He provides. Jesus does not say we should not be concerned about a speck in our brother's eye. He simply tells us that we will not be effective in helping anyone if we have a telephone pole sticking out of our own eye.

3. The more I am aware of my own "planks" and God's solutions, the more I can help reveal the truth of God's Word to my brothers (or sisters).

The key, of course, is application of God's Word to our own lives before we judge anything. In other words, don't just be a hearer of the Word -- be a doer.

Questions to Ponder:

What aspect of His Word will you apply today? What action is God calling you to take? Are you tempted to judge? Which of your planks need to be removed first?

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There's nothing like God's Word to create purpose in your life that lasts the entire day and beyond. We encourage you to Read, Carry and Share the Word of God. Pocket Devotions are sent by E-mail every weekday (Monday to Friday). On weekends we encourage you to be creative and study on your own in any area of Scripture where God leads you.

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.