Scripture Reading: Luke 6.37-42 Today's inspiration: Give, and it will be given to you. Luke 6.38

Good Morning.

"Lord, won't you open your Word to us, and our minds to it in such a way that we might understand and be changed by it? Amen"

The last words of Jesus we studied were, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Are you merciful by nature? Maybe. . . it might depend on how you were raised, or other shaping influences in your life. . . Do you tend to believe the best in others, or do they have to 'earn' your trust? In our passage today, Jesus is so clear----we are to be merciful with others. If we operate from a grid of mercy, we will not need to be judgmental or condemning. Taking it a step further, we will shun a critical spirit. If we are merciful, we will forgive more easily. And yet, I think of how many times over the years, someone has admitted to me, 'I had a critical mother, and now I am critical--I just can't help it, and my daughter will probably be the same way!' (Hmmm. . . there must be a remedy) Well read on, friends--Jesus says, "For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Wait a second. . . what is Jesus saying? In Matthew 7, it is worded a little differently--For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged. Suddenly, the stakes for changing a critical, judgmental spirit are higher! O God, help me--I too was raised with a very critical parent, and fight not to be that way, but I am doomed if You are as hard on me as I can be on other people.

And then, mercifully, our Lord sweetens the pot because He lets us know that if we are generous of heart, our generosity will also be returned. O yes, God, I want to be generous in my estimation of people, choosing to believe the best in them! Look with me again at vs. 38 of Luke 6--Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. The 'good measure'? In the ancient marketplace, when a seller placed grain in a container, he shook the container to get the grain to level out so that he could put more grain in the measure. (kinda' like a cup of packed brown sugar) God wants to give this way to us, because He is generous by nature, but He also honors a compassionate spirit in us. So you see it should motivate us--even if we have to really work on it--to become less judgmental, less critical, and more forgiving and more merciful, so that we will receive in kind.

Jesus instructs His disciples to choose their teachers carefully. Observe the life and character of the teacher, because if you are a good student, you will become like the teacher. Hmmm. . .

One more thing about judgment--of course, Jesus is not telling us to refrain from using discretion and discernment. This can be easily seen as we help our adolescent children pick their way through the thicketed forest of popular culture--Roll the tape. . . 'Mom, can I go hang out at the park?' (Dylan, 13) 'No, you aren't 'hanging out' anywhere, but your friends can come over here.' 'Dang Mom, why 'you got to be so over protective? Sean's mom lets him. . . ' (stop the tape) Okay, this request calls for a judgment on my part which means I must exercise discernment and use discretion (wisdom, friends)--I ascertain that this is wrong for my son, but I do not need to condemn Sean's mom--that's where I would step over the line, and be judgmental. "If you lack wisdom--ask God--He'll give it to you." James 1.5

Then Jesus uses a vivid illustration to show us how hypocritical we can be. I love this--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? A brilliant word picture by the Master Teacher. Or put another way, You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel (Matthew 23.24) Jesus could abide being in the presence of sinners and societal outcasts, but He despised the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. I am confident that He despises even more the hypocrites of our day that have served to turn people away from Him. So many people have been hurt by hypocritical, hyper-religious people who really love themselves and being right more than God. May it never be us. Please, let us err on the side of mercy. Mercy. . . are you seeing a theme?

A day is coming where we will all individually stand before the only Judge, and give an account for our lives. For that reason, I like to pray the prayer of the psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139.23-24) These are excellent verses to memorize. If you pray this prayer in earnest, the Lord will show you where you need to correct your course.

Mercy, love and grace should dominate our character. . . now that would make us generous people!

So that you may know,

Christine