Last week I talked about how I get judgey toward anything and everything that comes my way. Sometimes people come my way and Lord knows they’d turn around and run if they knew what I was thinking some days. I want to see them like Jesus does, but sometimes I get planks in my eyes that make it impossible.
In order to remove my planks, I ask myself two questions. “Are you happy with how you’re living life?” If I’m upset about how someone does something, it’s often because I don’t like the method I’ve chosen or haven’t spent any time thinking about it so I feel defensive of my MO. Then I know I need to spend the time, pray and follow the path that’s right for me. Once I LOVE how I’m living, I don’t feel the need to pick other people apart.
If I said yes to the first question, I ask, “Are you beating yourself up about not living up to your standard?” This is when I’ve given it thought and I’m on a path I believe in, but mess up. Maybe I mess up more than I get it right. If I forget grace covers me, I train my eyes on other people’s flaws like my life depends on it. This question reminds me to let Jesus love me. When I sit with the truth of His love, my flaws don’t seem catastrophic and neither do other people’s.
When we’re aware that we all fit under God’s love umbrella, we can finally pocket our measuring sticks and love our neighbors like we love ourselves.
