Well… I guess I’m going deep today. The verses that Holy Spirit have been bringing to mind are not the kind to tickle your ears. They are the kind that hold up a magnifying glass. If you are just starting to get to know God, this post is not a place to begin, but it is a place to grow.

God has given me grace to speak a warning about pride. I would ask each of you to be emptied of self-promotion and not create a false image of your importance. Instead, honestly assess your worth by using your God-given faith as the standard of measurement, and then you will see your true value with an appropriate self-esteem.‬‬

Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭TPT

It’s important to know about the person you allow to speak into your life spiritually. I don’t want to represent myself falsely and the Spirit is leading me to be open. (I have always strived for this.)

My faith walk began when I made a decision for Christ at the age of fifteen. My faith was up and down, in and out through those early years until I opened the door for the Holy Spirit in my late twenties. I want to say I blossomed into the perfect reflection of Christ, but instead I became hyper focused on becoming the perfect Christian through works. I lost sight of the importance of grace. It was not my job to save my family. I had become critical and judgmental.

From my early thirties until today at age sixty-seven, I have swung deeply to the side of grace. I still hold this view close to my heart, but I have blind spots. Old fears that I can’t be the person God wants me to be. That growing in my faith will lead me into the trap of trying to be perfect and pushing people away. So I ask myself — how do I grow closer to God and encourage others without coming across as being judgmental? Let’s explore some more Bible verses.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.‬‬

Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV

Harsh. Right? How easy we slip up onto our soapbox, spouting how we have the right way of thinking, that we have come to the right answers. And maybe that’s true, but when left to our own devices we can let our pride overshadow our sensibilities.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see 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,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”‬

Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV

Do you see what Jesus calls those who fall into this trap — hypocrites. So, what exactly is a hypocrite? Merriam-Webster.com defines it this way:

1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

In this instance, I believe Jesus is saying take a look at yourself, before you go casting aspersions. An idiom that would fit here is “the pot calling the kettle black.” But, there is hope. Jesus doesn’t say you should never help a brother, he says make sure your seeing clearly and have dealt with your own spiritual blindness.

Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. In the Scriptures God says,

“I swear by my very life that everyone will kneel down and praise my name!”

And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do. We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone’s faith.‬‬

Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭CEV

I like the way this translation says “not to upset anyone’s faith.” Other translations use words like stumbling block, stumble and fall, hinder, you get the picture. How often do we hold up such a high standard that we end up discouraging someone’s faith rather than encouraging their faith? A high standard that we ourselves cannot reach? How often do we usurp the role of the Holy Spirit, speaking our own words, rather than waiting and listening for him to speak into us before he speaks through us?

I sat in church with the elements of communion in my hand, praying, when I felt overwhelmed at how poorly I have represented the body of Christ in this world. My heart is to do better. To be more fully the person described in the first verse I quoted — empty of self-promotion and not creating a false image of my own importance.

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.‬‬

Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT

Thank you for hearing my heart. Thank you for encouraging my writing. Thank you for your grace. If I ever come off as haughty or judgmental, you have my permission to hold me accountable.

I pray the power of God’s words will always outweigh my own.

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

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