Dear God,
Proverbs 21: 23 “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”
To love God supremely and my neighbour as myself, is the way and teaching of both You, God the Father and Jesus His Son, and all Your true and faithful followers. It can sound so easy, to refrain from judgemental and critical words, but in practice, manifesting self-interest by putting someone down, and so push self forward, comes very easily to most people. It can happen almost spontaneously when motives are attributed; especially about small and petty things. Jesus spoke of these sins in, Matthew 6: 1, 2”Judge not, that you be not judged. ‘For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.’”
As I read these words of Jesus in Matthew, I am made more keenly aware, that the so called Golden Rule, that Grandmothers and mothers used to uphold, actually came from scripture. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Now that I have grandchildren to mentor, I am glad to pass on these wise words.
Thank You that I can still be prompted by Your Spirit when I have spoken in an unloving critical way, and I need to repent and confess. I can see that we so often ignore the wrong doing in our own thoughts and lives and subconsciously think the misdemeanour of the other is so much worse than our own. Matthew 6: 3, 4”How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’: and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Please wake some of us up, for many of us are judgemental, whilst still doing many wrong things ourselves. It is clear according to the words of scripture; such a way is not spreading the message and love of Jesus. Furthermore it is so destructive and hypocritical to behave in such a way; which makes us dishonest to ourselves and God. We need help, dear Father, to clean up our act inside and out, and to wake up. Then it would be that You could really use us in the broad and full way You have wanted, all along.
Let me receive gladly the old and new words of Yours, for as God You never change. Isaiah 28: 14 “Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men…….”, and women of course.s
Amen