When my now grown-up children were young, we raised Hereford cattle, and they “showed” their special ones at the 4-H livestock shows. (My grandson is now carrying on this tradition, but that is a story for another day.) No matter how much they walked, or scrubbed, or groomed, or presented their animals, they did not always win–they sometimes won–but not always–it was always up to the judges. It was the judge’s opinion that chose the winner.
We were often guilty of finding fault with the winning animal and seeing no fault in our own “champion.”
This concept spills over into our dealings with others. It is just that easy to find fault with the people that we see every day.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1.
Do you find yourself tearing another down in order to build yourself up? This seems easy to do sometimes. We can magnify another’s faults while minimizing the faults found in our own lives.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns us to examine our own lives first, and then we can lovingly understand and help others in their weaknesses.
“First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:6.
Have a blessed day!
In Christian love,
Diane