Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Improving
our Vision – Matthew 7:1-12
1 “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.
Our vision statement at EVC is this: developing
eternal relationships with God, His Word and people. This paragraph from Jesus
contains all three of those relationships. Jesus shows us what prevents us from
developing good relationships with others.
Jesus is touching on three areas in our life where we can improve our
vision.
How can see others more clearly? Jesus answers this question by stating that
we shouldn’t judge others too quickly. We should avoid a critical attitude. The
word judging means that we are separating or making a distinction between.
Usually this is done without full knowledge or background. Judging people
creates barriers to relationships. It puts me in the seat that only God should
occupy. Judging blinds me to the heart of a person. A critical spirit will allow me to judge
someone with sawdust in their eye while all the time I have a 2x4 in my head.
It’s hypocritical. The plank in our eye
is a judgmental attitude which blinds us to the reality of another person. How can we remove a plank from our eyes to
see people the way God wants us to see them?
Prayer can do that.
Jesus says, Ask, Seek, Knock…we should be pursuing God everyday for the
right kind of attitude. The more we pray to God the better our relationship
will be with God. Jesus not only
commands us to pray in this teaching; he also explains what happens when we pray.
When we ask, God gives. When we seek, we
find. When we knock, the door is opened. Jesus tells us that the Father wants
to give good gifts to those who ask Him! If we ask God for the right attitude
toward others, God will give us that gift! So…Ask Him. Seek Him. Knock on His door!
Finally, Jesus sums up this teaching with what has
been labeled “The Golden Rule”. Do to
others what you would have them do to you.
Act toward others like you would have them act toward you. In verse 2,
Jesus makes it clear that I get the attitude I give. If I want to be loved and
appreciated then I must show others love and appreciation. How do I want others
to treat me? Am I willing to treat others the way I want to be treated? This behavior conforms to
the requirements of the kingdom of God, the kingdom which is the fulfillment of
the Law and the Prophets.
Here
are three practical applications to this teaching today:
1)
Improving my vision of me – am I judgmental? Do I see others fault while
ignoring my own? Is the attitude I’m giving the one I’m getting?
2)
Improving my vision of God – am I asking, seeking, knocking? Do I trust God to
give me good gifts and keep harmful ones away from me? Do I praise him for
that?
3)
Improving my vision of others – am I applying the Golden Rule?
Prayer:
Father, help me to see You, others and myself more clearly. Thank you for these
words of Jesus today. Amen.
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