Repentance and Clarity

Wednesday, March 5, 2017

Matthew 7:4-5: [Jesus is saying,] "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."

Dear God and Father, lead us to be more slow to anger and more abounding in steadfast love for people. Lead us to be truly helpful, repenting of our own transgressions so that we will have clear eyesight in order to help someone through their issues and challenges. We pray this in Jesus' name. And all God's children say...

Clarity, in order to help, comes from a clear mind and heart. For we Christians, clarity starts as a fruit of repentance. For example, you see a couple at a restaurant who are talking "strongly." You can see they are not having a good time. You think to yourself, "If only they would just forgive each other and they would be able to 'start over.'" Then you look at your wife and say, "They need to practice more forgiveness." Then her eyes role and you know you're not "practicing what you're preaching."

This is when God's forgiveness of your own sins comes into play. Ask God to forgive you, allow God's grace to fill you so that when you want to help, you can do so without judging, anger, and fear. In that way, you can bring the Grace of God to the other who is in need.