Influencer's Weekly Devotional

Go With ME

Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

What Goes Around Comes Around

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:2

If you don't understand the title of this devotional, allow me to make it clear. It is an expression once used to remind us that the way we act toward other people will either come back to us as a blessing or a curse. If we are merciful and kind, mercy and kindness will be returned to us. However, if we are mean and ruthless toward others, we will, one day, receive the same back. There will always be individual cases where this rule doesn't apply. But as a general rule, we will have returned to us what we give in our relationships. As an example, I once heard it said that being a dictator is like riding a tiger. The ride is OK until you get off the tiger, for revenge will be waiting. In the passage above, Jesus is telling us the same thing. "Will Believers be judged by God?" is a question many Christians ask, as they read Christ's warning about judging other people. Therefore, this question needs to be cleared up, as we consider the “Judgment Seat of God.” Christians can thank the Lord, because the atonement Jesus provided through His sacrificed life allows them to escape His judgment. Look what Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25 That's some real good news for us, as all our sins are forgiven, even our sin of being judgmental and critical of others. But before we think we have no accountability for our actions and will escape the consequences, we need to consider the other warning, "What Goes Around Comes Around!" for we still have a life to live on this earth. I believe if Jesus were speaking only to Christians, He would say, "In the same way you judge others, and with the measure you use to do so, others will judge you, and you will judge yourself. Your life will not have My peace as it should, if you continue this practice." Therefore, I believe Jesus' warning about judging others is not only for non-believers, but it is also a warning for believers. We will know if we have taken Satan's bait if the symptoms of his disease start showing up. Consider this: When we have fever, there is something going on in our body that we might not be able to see or understand. A doctor understands that the fever is a symptom. Symptom defined is: "Any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it. A sign or indication of something." In the same way we can have symptoms in our relationships, such as feeling unloved, and alone, even with people in our life. When these feelings show up, they are symptoms that something is wrong within us. But many do not realize they are symptoms, and they take wrong actions to correct them. Just like treating a fever to make it go away without trying to discover why it is there, trying to simply treat our "feelings symptoms" as something not being right in our relationships, is wrong spiritual medicine. Isn't this what many Christians try to do? They look for quick fixes to make them feel better about themselves, while not considering that perhaps the Holy Spirit is making life miserable so they will hone in on the "heart" problem going on in their spirit. Many go for counseling to make them feel better about themselves. They complain that the people in their life do not appreciate them, and they think it is always other people's fault. But they fail to consider what Jesus said, "..... with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Those who do not go to the source of theirrelationshipproblemswill stay in a viscous cycle of trying to feel better about themselves, while suffering through the dark valley of condemnation by others and self condemnation of themselves. However, there is a way that will treat the deep inner sickness that causes these symptoms if we will take the medicine Jesus prescribes. This is a kind of medicine that both treats our spiritual sickness when our symptoms start to show, and it is also good medicine for preventing the spiritual sickness of judging and condemning other people. This medicine I speak of is humility. A humble recognition that all our own faults are covered by God's grace, is the beginning of a right perspective toward other people. There is a conflict within us when we consider Jesus and His unconditional love for us, and then look at other people critically. I have also discovered the way we choose to view others, we will view ourselves. If we are condemning of others, rather than showing them the mercy and grace God has shown to us, our enemy, the Accuser, will wreak havoc in our life with self-condemnation. But if we go to the heart of the issue and look at the many faults our Savior has overlooked in our own life and dismissed from His memory, we will be able to see the real issue in our condemnation of others. We are forgetting that other’s faults are no greater than our own, and our critical and judgmental attitude is wrecking our relationships. God's man must gird his mind and heart with humility, if he hopes to influence his world for Christ. This humility begins in his heart and works its way to the surface. If he forgets the great gift of forgiveness that has been given to him, damaged relationships may start to show up in his life. Remember, "..... with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Rocky TO DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THIS DEVOTIONAL, CLICK HERE