The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "IF ONLY THEY KNEW" for Sunday, 30 October 2016 with Scripture: Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, passing judgment; for when you judge someone else, you are passing judgment against yourself; since you who are judging do the same things he does. 2 We know that God’s judgment lands impartially on those who do such things; 3 do you think that you, a mere man passing judgment on others who do such things, yet doing them yourself, will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or perhaps you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience; because you don’t realize that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to turn from your sins. 5 But by your stubbornness, by your unrepentant heart, you are storing up anger for yourself on the Day of Anger, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed; 6 for he will pay back each one according to his deeds.[Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:13(12), Proverbs 24:12]-------
I was driving in the right lane with my foot to the floorboard. The speed limit was 50 mph, but my car would not go any faster than 20 mph. Several drivers glared as they sped past me. Some had clenched fists, uttering words I thankfully couldn’t understand. They had no idea that I was going as fast as my car would allow. They unfairly judged me solely because of what they saw.
Circumstances and situations aren’t always as they appear. When relevant information is missing or overlooked, we all make assumptions. I learned what it’s like to be on the receiving end of unmerited judgment. God used this incident to humble me and to reveal the sin in my own heart. It was time for me to repent, to turn away from my sin.
How often do we jump to wrong conclusions because we failed to get all the facts? How often have our thoughts about others been judgmental? Instead of judging others, we can delight in God’s goodness and begin to learn how to extend God’s grace to others in their times of need.
Read more from the author, here."Fishing for Squirrel"
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions.[Titus 1:16]My dad did what any good father would do; he taught us five girls how to fish. How I loved to go fishing as a teenager! I’d beg my dad to take me out on the lake in our boat every chance I got.
We’d fish for black bass which fed near the shore around partially submerged felled trees. The trick was to cast out your line as close to the base of the tree limbs as possible. The only problem was I hadn’t quite learned how to get my line that close without getting it snagged in the branches.
“Fishing for squirrel?” my dad would jokingly tease whenever he saw me trying to free my line from one tangled mess or another.
I wonder if our walk with the Lord ever looks like we are “fishing for squirrel." Do our actions ever make people wonder what exactly it is we are trying to do? We profess to know and serve God, but are there times when our actions speak otherwise? Do we constantly find ourselves in one mess after another?
We are to press on toward the goal for the prize for which God has called us (Philippians 3:14). Keeping this goal continually before us helps us to avoid becoming entangled in life’s affairs. It reminds us to refrain from questionable behavior and to live in a way that brings glory to God.
Prayer: Jesus, be Lord over our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. We want everything we say and do to line up with your word so we may be a blessing to others and glorify you. Amen.[Lydia Reyes, Check out Lydia's blog at https://plantedbytheriversofwater.com/.]
The Author: Lydia Gomez Reyes (Texas, USA)
Thought for the Day: “Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13, NIV, NRSV).
Prayer: Dear Lord, empower our hearts to search beyond what our eyes see so that we are careful not to pass judgment on others. Amen.
Prayer focus: SOMEONE I HAVE JUDGED
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