Jesus replied; “Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? You 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.”
Matthew 7:3, 5
A man went to church one Sunday morning with his family. He accidentally forgot to silence his phone before entering the worship center. Unfortunately his phone rang out loud during the Pastor's prayer time.
- The worshippers sitting near the man harshly chastised him when the Pastor concluded his prayer for interrupting the silence.
- The Pastor scolded the man at the conclusion of the service while walking out of the church.
- His wife lectured him relentlessly on his carelessness all the way home in the car.
One could see the shame, embarrassment and humiliation on the man’s face.Later that evening he went to a bar. Still nervous, discouraged and disturbed by the incident that occurred in the church. After ordering his food, he accidentally spilled his cocktail on the table.
- The server apologized and gave him a napkin to clean himself.
- The janitor mopped the floor around his table while offering a friendly pat on his shoulder and a word of encouragement.
- The female manager walked over and offered him a complimentary drink on the house, gave him a huge hug and a peck on the cheek and said, “Don’t worry sir, who doesn’t make mistakes?”
Tragically, the man has never stepped foot back into the church again . . . and has not stopped going back to the bar.This parable should invite us and challenge us to judge less and be more understanding. Let’s get the ‘log’ out of our own eye before trying to get the ‘speck’ out of our friend's eye first. Our words can and do have consequences. It is a beautiful reminder to treat others with less “shame” and more “grace.” Unintentional as it may be, if we’re not careful, our attitude as believers can drive a soul right to hell. However, we can make a difference by how we treat people and talk to people, especially when they make mistakes.Listen closely: It is not our job to fix people, change people or judge people. However, it is our job to love people—right where they are.Show God’s love in a practical way to someone this week.Be Worth Being,KevinSUBSCRIBE TO "OVER THE HUMP" DEVOTIONALKevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 39 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.
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