Today’s scripture: Romans 14:10-12 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):
As I meditated on the scripture for today I have to be honest and share with you that I came seeking God on one issue and God took me in a completely different direction. I am thankful that I have reached a certain place in life where whenever life throws a curve ball my way I immediately go to God in prayer. I am glad to say that always works for me. But today God is saying…about that thing that you didn’t bring to me. I want to talk about that.
Someone sent me this tweet the other day: “Capricorns are annoyed by things and people very quickly”. It was actually rather creepy because not only am I a Capricorn and there may be a nugget of truth there, but at the very moment that I received that tweet I was extremely annoyed by a thing and a people. Weird, right? Probably not so much when you consider that lately I seem to find myself regularly annoyed and bothered by people. I don’t know if its age or the summer heat but I find that most days I prefer the company of my dog to the company of other people.
Does anyone remember the character, Fish, played by Abe Vigoda, on that 70’s sitcom Barney Miller? Well I’m turning into that guy. For those of you who don’t know; Fish was cranky, cynical, old, tired of the world and suffered from persistent hemorrhoids. And aside from that last medical ailment I must admit I’ve been feeling a lot like Fish lately. Just last week during a meeting at church I found myself very irritated by someone who was there with me. I have never been able to understand this person. We come from very different worlds and have completely different world views. I find myself looking at this person through the lens of my own experience and as a result I conclude that most things they think, say, and do are wrong. I would never say any of these things out loud largely because of social decorum but also because I would never want to intentionally hurt someone. But if I’m being honest, I was judging just as the text for today mentions. When we ask God to search our hearts we have to be prepared for what God may find there.
When I was thinking about todays verse I couldn’t help but be reminded of verse 3 over in Matthew 7: “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?” I don’t know about you but I tend to view the world through my own lens and foolishly judge others actions based on what I think is right and wrong. But today I want to begin to think more about my own soul and my own life. If I am going to judge a life, let it be my own life! If I am going to be a blessing to my brothers in Christ, let me not seek to do it by setting myself up as their judge and jury, but rather let me love them, pray for them and live my life in such a manner that I am a blessing to them and not a hindrance!
Thought for the day: Have I been guilty of imposing my standards on others? Have I been guilty of setting up my own little kangaroo court from which I render judgment on everyone else’s life?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.