Green Pastures
Weekly Devotional
Is It Worth It?
On a scale of 1-10, how much do the shortcomings of other people affect your state of mind? People don’t measure up to your standards, they make stupid mistakes, and it sets you off kilter? Me, too, occasionally. I admit it, but I also know that it doesn’t happen as often as it used to. - in fact, seldom. Perhaps it’s because at my age, in light of eternity, it hardly seems worth the effort to get upset. So, to keep myself from going off the deep end about the shortcomings of others, I have developed a policy that I try to live up to and encourage others to do likewise. I have two things that the Lord reminds me of frequently – very simple, yet often difficult.
1. God did not appoint me to be the judge of how others walk their Christian walk. I can lovingly correct, encourage and come alongside, if appropriate, but not judge. Doing so countermands the word of God, which says in several places “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 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. (Matthew 7:1-5)
Examining sawdust in someone else’s eye keeps you from seeing the things in you that drives other people nuts! It’s a symptom of spiritual astigmatism. If you aren’t familiar with that medical term, it’s simply a common vision condition where the eye's cornea or lens has an irregular, oval shape instead of being perfectly round, causing light to focus unevenly and resulting in blurry vision. This distortion makes objects appear hazy, streaked, or out of focus, as I am using it, focusing on the faults of others instead of the blessings of God in your life.
When we master living out that truth, it’s easier to remember the 2ndprinciple:
2. Do not allow the shortcomings of others to steal your joy in the Lord. I know a woman who became very angry when others annoyed her or did not live up to her standards. What she saw as transgressions or lack of seeing things her way were usually pretty minor as she described them and her responses were usually ‘way out of proportion to the situation. When I asked her once if she prayed for those who caused her so much frustration, her reply was, “No, why should I? They know they are in the wrong.” Often her attitudes to what she considered major transgressions would cause her to turn her back and exit that relationship.
“Well, what difference does it make – one relationship more or less? Better off without them.” Such was her thinking. Perhaps she did not realize that her judgmental attitude might be a greater issue with God than the other person’s shortcomings.
If we are in the habit of being critical and focused on the faults of others, we are blocking the joy that we should be experiencing from our relationship with the Lord. Perhaps we should be asking Him to reshape our tendency to criticize and remember how much God loves that person.
The book of Nehemiah tells us that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:10). Genuine joy – the kind that doesn’t depend on perfect life situations, but on our relationship with God, gives us spiritual strength to meet tough times.
The message "Don't let others steal your joy in the Lord" emphasizes the importance of maintaining a joyful heart, even in challenging times, by focusing on faith and God's presence. It encourages us to resist negative influences and embrace the inner strength found in our relationship with God. Focus on the Source of Joy instead of the source of irritation.
"The joy of the Lord is my strength" emphasizes the fact that joy rooted in a relationship with God provides resilience and fortitude. It's a statement that suggests that true strength doesn't come from external circumstances but from a deep joy in God's presence, love, grace and mercy.
B. Klassen beatrice.klassen@outlook.com