Today’s Reading: Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-17

Out of faith came healing…

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!…”

Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. – Matthew 8:5-10, 13

No one would have expected a Roman officer to have faith in Jesus, yet his faith was strong enough to believe that Jesus could simply speak the healing into being. And that is what Jesus did.

HE TOOK THE FAITH OF A POWERFUL MAN AND DISPLAYED THE POWER OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD.

Out of compassion came healing and then perhaps faith…

Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. – Luke 7:11-15

There is no mention of the widow’s faith here; no mention of anyone requesting that Jesus bring this young man back from the dead. Yet Jesus, out of compassion, did something wonderful for this woman and her son, as well as for everyone else who was watching. Jesus gave this son back to his mother. If there was no faith on display before, there certainly was now.

HE TOOK THE SORROW OF A GRIEVING MOTHER AND DISPLAYED THE COMPASSION OF A LOVING GOD.

There are times when God does something wonderful for us because we ask, and there are times when God does something wonderful for us in spite of the fact that we do not ask. As a result of our faith, God moves, and in order to grow our faith, God moves. And out of this faith comes hope. And that is my prayer for all of us this year — that God would strengthen our faith and give us hope for what is ahead.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13

Today’s Reading: Matthew 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42

Have you ever noticed at sporting events how we sometimes yell the obvious? To the pitcher, we yell, “Get this guy out!” The football team will be seven points behind and someone will yell, “We need a touchdown!” Probably most of what we yell from the sidelines is already the goal of the players on the field. What they need from us is encouragement – “You can do it!” or “We believe in you!”

I am reminded of this kind of game-time cheering as I read through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. How often do we see the situation someone else is in and wonder why they are not doing something to get themselves out? Why is it that we come up with solutions to other people’s problems so much easier than we come up with solutions to our own?

Words are powerful and can make a huge difference in someone’s life, positive and negative. How we choose to use the power of speech can improve someone’s experience or weigh them down with discouragement. When it is someone else who has gotten themselves into a situation, the solution seems so easy and obvious; yet they do not need us to yell the obvious from the sidelines. They are well aware of the situation they are in. They need you to either encouragement them or put on a uniform and get in the game!

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your own eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus is NOT saying that we shouldn’t help each other; that we should only worry about ourselves. No, he is commanding us to stop judging others for the help that they need. We need to first examine our own situations. When we do this, we will most likely see that we too are not perfect. We make mistakes and get ourselves into situations we should not be in, just like others around us.

We need to reach out and help those around us, loving them the way we would want to be loved (there’s that Golden Rule again). Jesus is not saying to ignore those who are struggling with situations or temptations. Jesus wants us to reach out in love to one another, not sit in judgment of each other.

“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. – Matthew 7:6

As we walk this faith journey, it helps to have friends in our lives who help keep us accountable; it helps to have a friend point out our bad attitude or give us advice on the decisions we are making. Sometimes we intentionally give someone permission to point out sin in our life, but that does not give us permission to point out sin in the lives of unbelievers. In fact, we shouldn’t be surprised when sinners sin. Until they choose to let God do a transforming work in their heart, they will continue to produce sin from their sinful heart.

“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” – Luke 6:43-45

What we say to others or about other people FLOWS FROM WHAT IS IN OUR HEART. A good person produces good things from their heart; an evil person produces evil things. This is good to remember next time I am in the mood to gossip or to say something critical about someone else. Let’s use our words to make a positive difference in someone else’s day.

Lord, please forgive me for the evil things that have spilled out of my mouth. Forgive me for my criticism of others. Forgive me for my gossiping tongue. Lord, my desire is to help others. Please take this log out of my own eye so that I can reach out to others with a pure heart and put LOVE ON DISPLAY. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-11

“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:21

The desires of my heart are reflected in what I cherish or hold dear. So what have I placed great value on; what do I love so dearly that I make great efforts to keep it safe? If I lost everything today, what part of that loss would break my heart? Let’s look back at yesterday’s questions in the context of this next passage.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food or drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” – Matthew 6:25-30

It is easy to start worrying about the everyday things in life — food, clothes, finances, employment, health, etc. We often let worry take over our thoughts and consume our day. Yet Jesus’ sermon is a great reminder that we serve a God who understands, who cares and who is faithful to provide what we need. He wants us to take our focus off of these things so that we can be focused on the eternal instead of the temporary.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31-33

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

God calls me to give Him the desires of my heart and let Him replace them with the desires of His heart. God calls me to give Him my focus so that He can fill my eyes with His light. If my eyes are focused on God, if my heart is filled with His desires, if I am serving God and not myself, than these next verses will be true in my life:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents – if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” – Matthew 7:7-11

So, before I bring my requests to God, I need to get my eyes focused and I need to empty my heart of my own desires. Once I have done that, I am ready to pray for the things that matter to God. Then I am ready to ask, seek and knock.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34

Today’s Reading : Matthew 6:19-24

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

Have you ever read these verses and responded, “So what’s the catch?” We have all asked for something we did not receive, so what must we do to gain understanding of this promise spoken by Jesus? Let’s go back to what Jesus said in his sermon right before he said this.

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:33

Again, Jesus speaks of righteous living, this time in the context of focusing on our own needs compared to focusing on the Kingdom of God. Jesus challenges His listeners to consider their focus, and so I choose to take that challenge this morning as well.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or my own kingdom?

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21

What does my heart desire? Am I willing to let God fill my heart with what He desires and with what breaks His heart instead of letting my own desires for earthly gain grow? Am I so caught up in the temporary pleasure of acquiring the newest “toy” that I miss God’s prompting to serve Him with my money?

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” – Matthew 6:22-23

Consider how much life would change if we were to lose our sight. Our eye is such a small part of the body and yet, without its ability to let light in, our life would be so different. Our focus in life influences our eyes – our heart determines our focus and our focus determines what our eyes see. So where am I focused? I am either seeing the light of Jesus or I am focused on the light of the world, which is really darkness disguised as light.

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24

We serve a jealous God. The first of the Ten Commandments is “You must not have any other god but me” (Exodus 20:3). “And you must love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today” (Deuteronomy 6:5-6). Am I serving God or money? This is essentially the same as the questions we have been asking:

Am I serving God or myself? Am I seeking the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of me?

God, thank you for the reminder this morning that what you desire for my life is so much more important than what I desire. Your purpose for my life in this next year has value, and so I choose to rest in your provision and trust you to use me to advance your Kingdom in someone else’s life. Give me eyes to see the good in people, and hope to see the possibilities before me.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” – Matthew 5:43-47

Jesus not only challenged his followers to let their righteousness surpass that of the religious teachers, he went on to set a new standard: PERFECTION.

“But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48

Be perfect, be mature, be whole, be completely consecrated to God. Be exactly who God created YOU to be! Be the kind of person who lives the golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated. Go beyond the bare requirements of the law and live to the full potential of God’s purpose in your life. Don’t settle for anything less than the perfect life He designed you to live.

I love this message of holiness but I have to constantly remind myself that this is not a message of self-righteousness. I cannot do or be any of these things consistently based on who I am – I am just not that nice of a person on my own strength. I need God’s gift of righteousness through His son Jesus Christ in order to be the “perfect” child of God He has created me to be.

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5:15-21

God’s grace and forgiveness does not give me permission to keep sinning, instead it makes it possible for me to stop sinning. God’s gift of righteousness allows us to live in triumph over sin and death through Jesus Christ. Christ did not die to give me freedom to sin but to give me freedom from sin. Today I can stand before God “perfect” by simply consecrating myself to God and submitting my own lack of righteousness to His gift of righteousness. “You have heard…but I say…” Today I can live by what He says instead of simply following the least measure of the law. Praise God!!!

You have heard it said that nobody is perfect, we all sin every day. But I say, let us not become so comfortable with that thought that we do not accept God’s gift of righteousness and allow Him to daily make us into the person He has called us to be. Let us allow God’s grace to do more than just cover our sins but transform us into a new creation.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:17–42

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” – Matthew 5:17-18

The law was given to Moses for a purpose, yet over time the use of the law had changed. Rather than being a way for God’s people to follow Him with all their heart, soul and mind, it had become a burdensome task to accomplish. Instead of God being the focus of their worship, following a list of rules had become their highest priority. The teachers of the law wore their righteousness like a badge of superiority and held it high for all to see.

VISIBILITY

So imagine their anger when Jesus began to humbly interpret the scriptures in a new way; imagine their indignation when he told the people that their righteousness must surpass that of the teachers and Pharisees in order to have eternal life.

“So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I warn you – unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” – Matthew 5:19-20

HUMILITY

Jesus went on to present several examples of how the Jewish leaders were pridefully stressing the extremes of the law, while missing the heart of the covenant relationship. It was not enough to simply not murder another person; God’s expectation is to humbly show love and grace to one another, not anger and unforgiveness. He wants His people to serve Him by serving others, to love Him by loving others (5:21-22).

Jesus was taking the standard set by the law and raising it to the level God was calling them to live at. He went on to give several examples of the righteousness he was calling his people to:

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart…

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery…

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows!…Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’…

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also…

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you… – Matthew 5:27-43

Jesus summed it up later in his sermon when He said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

CONSISTENCY

Jesus was calling them to live a righteous life with consistency. Don’t just do the bare minimum, but serve me with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strength — all of the time! Love other people and treat them as you would want to be treated; show grace and extend forgiveness as you want your Heavenly Father to forgive you. Live out your faith and let God produce a new kind of righteousness in your life.

Father God, we ask that you forgive us for the times we have made serving you a habit rather than a passion. Forgive us for the times when we did just enough to get by, or when we lived out the bare minimum required in order to take away our guilt. Ignite a desire in us to serve you wholeheartedly and fill us with your righteousness, so that we can live a life consistent with your calling. Let our love for you be expressed in our actions towards one another. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:5-18

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything will reward you.” – Matthew 6:5-6

VISIBILITY

Again Jesus speaks to us about the issue of visibility in our lives. It is so easy for us to be caught up in how we are being seen by others. We want to be noticed, appreciated and held in high esteem. It is a natural human desire to be valued by others and so we often make the mistake of seeking our value in the opinions of those around us.

This is probably an easier trap to fall into now that social media has made our lives more visible than ever. We slant the camera just right in order to get the most flattering selfie and choose our words carefully in order to draw the attention of our “friends” and “followers”. Jesus is warning us to pray and fast (6:16) for an audience of one, and to only seek the approval of our Father in Heaven.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” – Matthew 6:7-8

HUMILITY

Yesterday we studied the relationship between visibility, humility and consistency, and we see the same thread woven through today’s passage. The issue behind the visibility trap is pride and how it complicates the living out of our faith. So let’s keep prayer what it is supposed to be — a conversation between us and our Maker. Let’s come to Him in humility and pray as Jesus taught us to pray:

“Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:9-13

If we keep our eyes focused on the holiness of our God, we won’t get caught up in creating a righteousness of our own. When we wait in expectation of what He is going to do next, we stop making our own plans. When we rely on Him for our physical needs, as well as our spiritual redemption, we see ourselves in need of a Savior. We humbly find grace to forgive those around us who are also growing in their faith. If we daily remind ourselves of the temptation to focus on our own visibility, we will see God giving us the strength to be who He is calling us to be.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15

CONSISTENCY

One more challenge. What if we take this last verse we looked at today and loop it around to the first verse we looked at yesterday? We are the salt of the earth, but if we refuse to forgive another person, whether we have just cause or not, how will the world taste Jesus? Unforgiveness in our lives will overpower the potential of the good flavors.

Think about this. If we create a delicious omelet full of meat, cheese and vegetables, but throw in even one rotten egg, the entire meal is spoiled. Let’s not spoil our impact today with a rotten attitude about anyone or anything. May our lives be consistent with our testimony, so that God will be glorified in every aspect of our day. After all, what good is salt if it has lost its flavor?

Father God, we praise you this morning for you are holy. We pray for you to give us a Kingdom mindset as we go into our day. May we submit to your plan for our lives and for the lives of those around us. Lord, we trust in you for all of our needs, for you are the God who provides; we ask for your grace to continue to mold us into who you are creating us to be, for you are the God who forgives. Fill us with your Spirit and give us the strength to persevere even in the toughest of circumstances or the strongest of temptations. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 5:13-16, 6:1-4

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” – Matthew 5:13-16

VISIBILITY

Jesus describes the VISIBILITY of our lives. When we accept Him as our Savior, we become representatives of Him to all those around us. We bear His name and with that comes responsibility. We are to be a light to those around us who are in darkness. Our presence in a room, on the job, in our community, around the world, is to make a difference — to add flavor.

In the same respect, if those around us know us to be Christians and we fail in representing Christ with holy lives, the influence of our lives loses its flavor. Can it be made salty again? We are not perfect and there may be times when we mess up. If so, how can we go back and regain our “salty” impact on those we know. Will they forever consider our testimony worthless or can we humbly admit our fault and try to regain what has been lost? HUMILITY is the key ingredient in the world regaining their taste for our testimony.

HUMILITY

May those around us see good deeds coming out of our walk with Christ so that our Heavenly Father can be praised! But wait. That sounds the opposite of what Jesus continues to say in this same sermon, which carries over to chapter six.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity. I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:1-4

Again, VISIBILITY comes down to HUMILITY. Jesus is not contradicting himself here but instead looking for CONSISTENCY of the heart. We are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world so that God can be glorified and receive the praise. We are not to call attention to our good deeds for the sake of human applause. We are to live out our lives before men for the sake of God’s Kingdom being advanced, not for our own advancement. We are to be lights that help others find their way to the one true Light of the World.

CONSISTENCY

Lord, help us to recognize the VISIBILITY of our walk with you and choose HUMILITY in order that others will see CONSISTENCY in our life. May the flavor of our life and the visibility of our walk bring you glory today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Luke 6:39-49

YOU WILL GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

That’s a common phrase we hear throughout our lives, isn’t it? In fact, when you look it up online, you find several variations with multiple authors given credit for their wise words of inspiration. Where did the idea originate? From Jesus himself: “The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38b).

When each of my daughters left for college, I gave them the same advice I was given when I moved into the dorm at age seventeen — your college experience will be what you make it. If you jump in, get involved, and give it your all, you will get a great education plus have a lot of fun. This continues to apply to our adult lives post-college, from professional development to spiritual growth. The more we study God’s word, the more we understand and become like our teacher.

Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Luke 6:39-42

Part of our journey of learning includes gaining the ability to keep our focus on God and what He is teaching us instead of assessing the spiritual condition of those around us. This seems easy enough to do but it does not come naturally for us to mind our own business. It is a work of growth that we have to continually ask God to do. If we give grace to others, we will receive His grace in return — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into our lap!

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 6:37-38

Lord Jesus, we want to be like you in every way so we ask that you help us with this area of our life. We are sitting at your feet, eager to learn and willing to be transformed. We long for you to do a work in our lives so that grace beautifully flows and fruit naturally grows. Fill our hearts with your love so that your righteousness naturally flows from our lives.

“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” – Luke 6:43-49

Father God, please forgive us for those moments when we do not act like we should. Forgive us for those moments when we do not follow your teaching but do what we feel like doing in the moment. Lord, fill us with your Spirit and strengthen us so that we can follow your lead in every moment of our day. We want to build our house on a foundation made of solid rock, with doors of love wide open and windows of grace to see others as you would see them. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Luke 6:32-38

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.” – Luke 6:32-34

WHY SHOULDN’T I GET CREDIT?

How often do we do something for someone else and then creatively describe our generous act for our next social media post? Generosity feels good and it quickly becomes our next Tweet; self-sacrifice is rewarding and gets posted on Instagram before the day is over. But what if we did something God led us to do and then never told anyone else about it? What if God moved on our heart to be kind to someone else without it becoming part of our Snapchat story?

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” – Luke 6:35-36

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

Reciprocity is the exchange of things with others for mutual benefit. When our girls were little, we would trade childcare nights with our friends so that each couple could go out on a date without the cost of a babysitter. One mom would watch another mom’s kids while she ran errands and then the other would return the favor. It was mutually beneficial, gave our girls time to build friendships, and it saved everyone money.

But what if there’s nothing in it for me? What if God moves on my heart to be generous towards someone who is self-absorbed or thoughtless? What if the Spirit tells me to be kind to someone who has been less than kind to me? What if my good deed will never be reciprocated? Am I willing to be who God is calling me to be even if I never receive credit or even gratitude for my actions?

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 6:37-38

GIVE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE.

God’s promise is that we do gain from all that we give, but it is not for us to decide what that should look like. It is not for us to judge the hearts of those who receive our kindness; it is not for us to condemn the response of those who benefit from our generosity.

We are to respond to the Spirit’s lead in obedience and be quick to forgive those who are ungrateful. We are to let our light shine in the darkness, even when it seems to go unnoticed. We do not demand an apology and we do not need applause. Our acts of righteousness are not for public admiration but a natural outflow of our relationship with Christ. When His light is shining within us, there is a natural glow that sheds light so that others can see who He is — not who we are. It leads us to be kind and thoughtful, as well as generous and good.

Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. – Psalm 112:4

Father God, may we look to you alone for our reward. May we feel your smile of approval and may that be enough for us as we live out our relationship with you. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear and hands to respond today. Amen.