Good for him; bad for me!

Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, sat behind a finely dressed woman in church and saw the lice in her hair. His musing about her social pretensions led him to write, To A Louse.

“Oh, would some Power give us the gift
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion:
What airs in dress and gait would leave us,
And even devotion!”

Who among us has not said things like this in one way or another?

*His anger is so destructive to his family;
mine is just what I must do to get my kids to fall in line.

*His bitterness is so toxic to relationships;
mine is understandable given the terrible way I was treated.

*He is greedy;
I’m just trying to make a living.

*He is selfish;
I’m just being careful to provide for the future.

*He’s an idiot;
I’m just a ‘work in progress.’

Jesus offered a bit of insight, clothing His wisdom in humor. He spoke of ‘plank in the eye’ syndrome. He tells us that before we go after the speck of sawdust in our fellow Christian’s eye, it would be best to take the plank out of our own! (Matthew 7:4-5) His point is obvious – before you attempt to clean up another’s life, get your own in order!

Maturity of faith and character will bring about an honest estimate of ourselves, a working knowledge of our strengths and our foibles, and a willingness to apply the same measure to our own actions that we so quickly apply to others.   

What’s the harm in a little self-deception?

When we refuse the Truth about ourselves, willfully ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit, too outwardly focused to take time for honest reflection, we will inevitably slip deeper into deception and that will lead us into greater sin.

We Christians need not spend endless hours beating ourselves up or ‘staring at our navel,’ however we must remain open to correction by the Spirit and instruction from others. One of the most basic contributors to a genuine walk with God is a ruthless commitment to the Truth. Jesus says that the ‘truth will set you free.’  There is great liberation discovered in knowing who we are, what gifts we are given, what weakness waits to trip us up, and the overarching love of God that holds us secure!

When we accept ourselves and lean into God’s amazing grace, we are free to grow up, released from the childish ways that make us small and mean. We begin to walk in the will of God and into a divinely inspired love for others.

As we live authentically in the Spirit, He will keep us from judging others unfairly and make us into people of mercy.

There is a passage that is of great comfort to those who live in Truth and long for justice. It is a terrible threat to those who turn a blind eye to reality. It is God’s promise that one day who we are what we have done will be perfectly revealed. Christian, this is not about some scale that determines our eternal destiny, whether we go to Heaven when we die! That salvation is secured through Christ, alone. It is about justice. My prayer is that what we learn in this passage will both keep us faithful in obscure service and move us to deal with secret sin.

Spend some time with the word from the Word.
"The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
(1 Corinthians 3:8-15, NIV)

Ask God, the Holy Spirit, to work in your life and humbly let Him shape You in His will.
Confess your sins without excuse and REST in His promise of grace and love.
Then, live in the Truth!

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Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

Thought for self-reflection today

 

Anxious? You need a Shepherd

When I was a little boy, we lived in Iowa and my Dad was owner of Scott Sheep Company, we traveled every year to Wyoming where he bought lambs that were shipped back to our farms in Iowa for preparation for market. On those trips I met shepherds, men whose lives were all about the care of their flocks. They lived alone for much of the year with only a sheep dog and a few hundred sheep for company. They braved harsh conditions to lead those sheep to pasture and protect them from predators.

Those images come to mind every time I read the Shepherd’s Psalm, reminding me of the Great Shepherd who cares for me. Let these ancient words settle over you today-
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever." (Psalm 23, NKJV)

In a world full of noise, threats, and real danger, too many live in constant anxiety. Excessive worry and fear are as common as the cold and rob millions of their best life. Must we simply endure it? Is there a way to change the perception of the world around us? YES!

The mind can be re-directed, thought patterns changed, if we choose to listen to the voice of the Lord, soaking in the counsel of His word, He will lead us out of our fears and into joyful abundance. Faith is both a gift of God and a choice to be made by us.

God’s people are His flock, in His care, at rest!

Christians are derisively referred to by some as ‘dumb sheep,’ the implication being that they are easily led and manipulated. It is true that sheep are not among the world’s more intelligent creatures! Eons of domestication have made those wooly creatures defenseless, dependent, and content to be led from pen to pasture. The care of the shepherd is required if they are to thrive! Thus, the comparison of people to sheep can be a genuine insult.

But God is not insulting us when He calls us His flock! He is reminding us that He will care for us, that we need not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by evil, confusion, or fear. Sheep with a good shepherd are not restless, milling about in anxiety. The Psalm says that “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. … I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." (Psalm 23:1-4, NLT)

Are you struggling with anxiety at some level today?
Do feelings of fear or hopelessness stalk you, perhaps even overwhelm you?

Meditate on those words from the Shepherd’s Psalm. Personalize it by inserting your own name as you read it aloud. Thank the Lord that He has made you one of the sheep of His pasture.

 When we take our independence from the Shepherd, running off on our own, we take on the character of goats! Those creatures resist all boundaries. In the Bible, sheep are a symbol of those who love and follow Jesus. Goats are symbols of those who separate themselves from God’s grace and care.

The wonderful reward of being ‘sheep-ish’ is clear. Jesus says "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28, NIV)

This word from the Word comes from Ezekiel. He heard the voice of the Lord in a time when the spiritual leaders of the nations were not caring for the people. It is a lengthy passage which I encourage you to read slowly, perhaps even aloud, letting the promise settle your soul in the Shepherd’s care.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers in all the places where people live.

Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in lush mountain pastures. I myself will tend my sheep and cause them to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!" (Ezekiel 34:11-16, NLT)
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Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55