THE STORY OF JESUS: John 7:14-24
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:24)
Some people appear to be better than others… but is this really so?
What we see can be misleading, since it is not all that there is to know.
Jesus warns the religious leaders to stop measuring people by what they see.
We need to heed this warning too, for we do the same thing.
What do we think when we see someone that is different?
Of a different culture, or a different religion, or a different lifestyle.
How did Jesus look at prostitutes, or women, or children, or tax collectors?
How did the religious leaders look at them?
As Jesus followers, we want to learn from and follow Jesus’ way!
I grew up in a culture that separated itself from those who believed differently.
Not just different religions, but different variations of the same belief system.
We judged by mere appearances; if they said it differently, they were heretics.
Now I realize how much of a ‘heretic’ I am myself… but please don’t judge me.
Like you, my only hope is in Jesus, not in the mere appearances of my beliefs.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You know my flaws, failures and follies. You know me from the inside out, and only You have the right to judge me. I trust myself to Your judgment, but especially to Your mercy.
It is what is on the inside that counts.
Yet many of my thoughts are formed by outside appearances.
I all too often form opinions about people by their appearance, their position, their possessions, etc.
The heart of the matter must be the heart – what/Who do they love?
The love of God needs to be my driving force.
I must see His world through His eyes in order to have 20/20 vision.
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.