Run to the basement

 During my devotion time, reading in Proverbs, the Lord spoke to my heart about being judgemental. 

I guess it's easy to judge others and look at them with critical eyes and say words of judgement that could rip and shred someone's very soul. It is really different when YOU are the one being judged. How could they think that? Or say that? They don't even know me! They don't know what all I have been through! Or how things are going in my life now. 

HE showed me a container, like a glass or cup. It had been washed, but the inside of the cup still had some stains. I've owned dishes that had stains in them and no matter how much I washed them, that stain was still there and I eventually threw it out. Thank God, the Lord doesn't throw us out when we have a blemish or stain. Instead he reveals to us the need to be cleansed. This morning through His Word in Proverbs, God spoke to my heart, not with condemnation, but with love. Like a parent that tells their child, come on let's get you a good bath and get the grime off of you. How gracious HE is to His children. He washes us completely, until the water runs clear. 

He let me know the surest fire way to NOT be in judgement of others, is to pray for them. You would think that we would already think of that, but sometimes in our flesh we don't. We judge one another and cut one another with words, with looks and actions. It might be as simple as a sarcastic remark, a glance with an eye roll, a smirk on our face, or a laugh at the wrong time. But it didn't start with just a look or a word spoken, it actually started in the heart. That's the secret place that others cannot see. But God sees. God knows. God measures. He alone is Judge. 

Luke 6:45 "For out of the abundance of the heart, his/her mouth speaks." 

I don't want others judging me and saying things about me, like "they ain't no count" just spreading it around like kudzu. All southerners know how kudzu can start growing in one little spot and then it covers and takes over everything, destroying all that's good.

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers." 

1 Corinthians 15:33 " Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."

Ephesians 4:32 "And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." 

Let us pray for our neighbor. This includes our family, our friends, our coworkers, the lady at the the store, the guy at the service department, the person on Facebook that shares every thing, the minister that stepped on our toes, the person who pulled out in front of us in traffic and the list goes on, but you get the picture. You don't know their story and if you did, you might just say a prayer for them, because they really need it now.

James 1:19 "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

1 John 3:11 "we should love one another."

It's amazing how God's Word speaks to our hearts and reveals what we need when we didn't even know it.

Lord I ask that You wash me thoroughly, remove any stains and make my heart pure. Let me be careful of my thoughts, my words and actions so they will be pleasing to You and be a blessing to others.  Help me to show mercy, compassion and grace to others just like You have shown that to me. Thank you God for revealing Your Word to me and not throwing out the stained cup. 

Lord Bless everyone who reads this. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.