“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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 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” (Matthew 7:3-5).
Father in heaven, You alone are God. You alone are the righteous judge—almighty, holy, omnipotent, omnipresent—so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge (Psalm 51:4).
That right, that responsibility, is not ours, Father, as You clearly instruct us throughout Scripture. You teach us much about wisdom and discernment, and show us how they differ from harshness, and condemnation, and hypocrisy. Help us not to confuse them.
Give us the clarity to understand that "Do not judge" does not mean we ignore the righteous and fully trustworthy statutes You have laid down (Psalm 119:138). Scripture clearly shows us the need to differentiate between opposing standards—just and unjust; partial and impartial; fair and unfair; moral and immoral; right and wrong. Jesus Himself confirmed the need to make these differentiations, "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24)
In a world darkened by sin, You revealed Your ways to humanity to keep us from stumbling blindly in chaos and confusion. You established Your Law (Leviticus 26:46), and then You introduced Your grace and truth in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:17).
David prayed to You, Never take Your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in Your laws (Psalm 119:43). He goes on to declare, The unfolding of Your words gives light (Psalm 119:130).
Teach us to uphold Your commands. Give us the wisdom to seek foremost to understand and apply them in our own lives. Give us the strength to make tough decisions. Give us the moral courage to walk in integrity even when we stand alone. Help us to treat others with love, gentleness, and respect when we differ; always ready to give them a reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15)
Fill us with Your grace, O Lord. Guard our hearts against hypocrisy. Forgive us our tendency to be critical. For finding in others "faults" that we excuse in ourselves. For magnifying their specks and ignoring our logs (planks).
Forgive us for automatic annoyance, harsh impatience, graceless irritation. Grow in us the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that the Holy Spirit teaches (Galatians 5:22-23). Help us to love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Give us default responses of prayer for others, rather than criticism.
Keep us ever mindful of the sobering warning of our Lord Jesus, 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 7:2). Help us to measure out the abundant love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be the power and the glory forever.
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