Sawdust and Logs

It is very rare that I get mad or upset (and I am not right now). But I have been thinking a lot lately about how people love to talk and gossip and degrade. In normal situations it is because by making others look bad, they can elevate themselves or take attention away from their own downfalls.

I have to think Jesus had something similar in His mind when He said in Matthew 7, "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?"

Does this anger me when I have been the brunt of a whole lot of talk lately?  Not really.  I am not perfect by any stretch.  I have many faults.  Some things I have heard are being said are utterly outrageous, but people gonna spread juicy gossip.  The great theologians REO Speedwagon knew this when they sang, "But I know the neighborhood, and talk is cheap when the story is good and the tales grow taller on down the line."

I recently read a great quote and I wish I know who wrote to give him/her credit, "Counting other people's sins does not make you a saint.  It's easy to judge.  However judging others will not make us better people and will not make our own sins go away."  TRUTH!

I don't get mad very often.  I do get hurt and disappointed.  I have to come to the realization to expect to be disrespected by many who I used to respect the most.  That is human nature.  Some people take pleasure in gossip that is hurtful of others.  I am not sure why.  I really don't understand.  Especially those who call themselves a "christian."  

Ephesians 4:29 -- Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

James 4:11 --Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

James 1;26 -- Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

And Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37 "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

We have downplayed the sin of gossip as our duty to "share in Christian love" with others what we "know" about others.  We have lumped it in with "little white lies" and other "small" sins that don't really matter anymore.  But sin is still sin and God still hates sin.  I am not saying yours are worse than mine, but I am saying I am a sinner and so are you. But God's grace is amazing and the blood of Christ which covers my sins can covers yours too.  And the forgiveness He gives me, I extend to all who wrong me. Be careful about the sawdust and the logs.

What God Sees

“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Sam 16:7b) What does God see when He looks at a person? The HEART! Not the blood pumping muscle inside, but our motives, our compassion, our desires. What is in our heart is what He can use.

God amazes me with how he can use crummy situations and broken people for His glory. I think back to a man named Moses. Heard of him? Did you know he killed an Egyptian? Yet God used him to deliver His people from Egypt. Moses made a huge mistake, but God saw leadership and love in his heart. How about David? He commits adultery, which led to a child, which led to lies and ultimately murder. Did God discard him? Nope, he is called a “man after God’s own heart” in scripture. Peter, how about that Peter! Makes a statement Christ said He would build the church on, cuts off another man’s ear, swears eternal allegiance to Christ, denies Him hours later. Surely his heart was black and unusable by God, right? Not quite, just a few weeks after denying his Lord, Peter delivered one of the most powerful sermons in history. Saul? Well, you know his story and what he did to Christians. If not, read Acts and find out. Then you will also find out that Saul (later Paul) was the greatest evangelist in the history of Christianity.

Man would look at these men with murder, adultery, lies, assault with a deadly weapon, treason, persecutor of Christians and think they are burning in hell. God saw leaders, evangelists, hearts of love for God and people. God took some pretty tough situations and pretty bad decisions from men who were broken, cracked vessels and used them in a mighty way. But God can mend the broken vessel, with love, forgiveness, grace, mercy and compassion if the heart is there to serve.






I am firmly convinced God is not nearly concerned about where we've been as He is about where we are going. Man will rarely let you live down your past mistakes, Satan wants you to live in your past, but God says don't worry about the past forgiven sins. He has a plan for your future!!! Don’t let men define you by their cowardly actions and hurtful words. God defines you by what men cannot see, your heart.