Matthew
7 reminds me of the comic picture of the very large man standing on a
scale shouting, “Don’t judge me!” The role of the bathroom
scale is to give us an accurate assessment of our current weight; it
does not assign worth, and it always allow for change. In today’s
chapter the Judge of the World concludes His Sermon on the Mount with
instructions and warnings to believers. It begins with the favorite
verse of the rebellious, “Do
not judge, or you too will be judged“.
To the transgressor this means, we being sinners too cannot apply
any standard to him. I believe a more clear way to express this
thought is, ‘do not permanently condemn’. Jesus added, “with
the measure you use, it will be measured to you“.
The greatest measure is forgiveness. Loving compassion knows that
change is possible for all who believe Christ is Lord. Next He
points out the painful truth; it is much easier to recognize the
flaws in others than in ourselves. He is firm, “You
hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye“.
We have an abundance of tenderness with those who suffer with our
same affliction, and those who have received God’s mercy freely
extend God’s mercy to others. To the tenderhearted He warns, “Do
not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs“.
Takers and manipulators are dangerous and will “turn
and tear you to pieces“. Who
are the pigs in your life?
Next
Jesus offers the simple promise that we often complicate, “Ask
and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you“.
Notice He does not use words like, Earn, or Deserve, or Strive. Our
Heavenly Father WANTS to lavish gifts of restoration on us. “If
you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to
those who ask Him!” Outward
change always follows. The result is what we call the Golden Rule,
“do to others what you would
have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets“.
The sermon ends with words of truth about
God’s scale. “For wide is
the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction…
and
narrow the road that leads to
life, and only a few find it“.
Are you sure you are on the right path? He warns that false
prophets are not easy to spot, “They
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves“. How can we spot
them? “By their fruit you will
recognize them.” Hey, aren’t
we judging? A fool has no discernment, but the wise look for
evidence of outward change. Galatians 5:22 lists a few fruits;
“love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control“.
Don’t follow anyone that doesn’t freely share good fruits. The
chapter closes by pointing out our words and our actions must agree.
“Everyone who hears these words
of Mine and puts
them into practice is
like a wise man who built his
house on the rock“. Storms of
life will come, what is your foundation? My foundation is faith in
the Faithful One. All are born with a sin nature and will fall short
of God’s standard of perfection. But Jesus Christ willingly paid
the debt and took my burden. His blood covers our sin. All that is
required to tip the scale is to believe He is God, the Messiah. “If
you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”
(Romans 10:9). All who heard Him were amazed, “because
He taught as one who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law“.
Friend, what does your scale say to you?