Judge Only Yourself

Jonah 4:1-2 - This change of plans upset Jonah, and he became very angry.  So he complained to the LORD about it: "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people.

 

Jonah hadn’t quite let go of all the bad things in his life.  He still harbored a hatred for the gentiles he had been sent to preach too.  He was okay with all of them dying for their sins….but as soon as he realized God had changed his mind about their death sentence…he let his true feelings come out.

 

Jonah soon forgot his own sin in running away…and judged these people he preached too more harshly than he did himself.  It reminds me just how important the scripture in Romans 3:23 is….” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” How soon we forget sometimes that we are all sinners…and need God’s mercy and grace anew every morning.  Perhaps that is what Jesus was thinking when he said later in Matthew 7:5 …. “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.”

 

Sin is sin…all of us are guilty….all of us are washed clean the same way when we accept Christ’s love into our heart. We are called to love everyone…regardless of color…race….sex…or gender choice. The Bible doesn’t say anywhere that we get to pick and choose who and when and where we show God’s love.  It clearly records Jesus’ last words to the disciples that watched him ascend into heaven in Mark 16:15.  It says… He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

 

Thank you father for the reminder that I need to judge only myself…and I am called to love everyone else that you created.  Forgive me for all the times that I have failed myself and you by failing to love others the way you called me to love.  Help me to ask for your help each day to identify my own sins…and listen to your directions to share the love you have given me with others.  Amen.