Getting to Know Jesus #18

We are in Luke 6, where Jesus is challenging His followers with a higher standard than they were used to:

 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 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? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

The tendency to judge is strong in all of us. We tend to both find ways that someone else struggles that we do not, and also to criticize those with the same weaknesses that we have.  This critical spirit was strong in the religious context of the scribes and Pharisees, but we also find it having a great revival in our day as well. We even accuse others of being judgmental and hypocritical, not recognizing that we are doing the same thing by doing so.  We are blind to our own sins and struggles, trying to make ourselves feel better by comparison.  But Christ offs something much better than comparison and competition: He offers full forgiveness. We need to give it, as He does to us.  To forgive is something we should give generously.