NOSH Pronunciation: 'näsh Function: noun Definition: a light meal : SNACK

I was reflecting on the Scripture with one of my brothers in the Lord on a recent morning (as I often do) and was startled into seeing something I had never seen there before. I had recently spent some time feeling sorry for myself about being used by other people in my life. It was not a difficult thing to identify the sin in each of their lives, but the Lord pointed out a word he had shared with his Apostles on that issue.

Jesus had spoken about seeing the speck in your brother’s eye while not paying attention to the plank in your own eye. I had always seen that as my own sin being so much greater than the sin in the brother’s life. I have always known that it is better to clean up my own act before determining how to clean up the life of another, and seeing my sin ought to be easier.

What I have learned is that the plank in my own eye was not my sin— it was my judgment of my brother. As fellow believers we both share a relationship with Almighty God through his Son Jesus Christ. It is also truth that each and all of us are very good at sinning! But the Gospel tells us that we have been forgiven and that God does not hold our sin against us.

Saint Paul writes this truth in Romans 3.22-24: this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. SHOCK!!! If God will not judge me as unworthy of forgiveness, who am I to withhold forgiveness from my brother. I repent of my judgmental attitude toward those who are also children of our Lord God!

cngdh+