Slices
Prepare
Pray: ‘Father God, help me to honour you in my living today as a member of your kingdom.’
Bible passage
Judging others
7 ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 ‘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? 4 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? 5 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.
6 ‘Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, seek, knock
7 ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 ‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Explore
As citizens of God’s kingdom (6:33), we live in the light of eternity and in the knowledge of our Father–child relationship (6:32). Our heavenly Father has the final say. Judgement of others is not ours to exercise (v 1). Jesus was referring to censorious judgement of others – like that of the Pharisees, described as ‘hypocrites’ (v 5; see also 6:2,5,16). This is something we can have a tendency towards but is to be avoided.
We can imagine the disciples around Jesus smiling as he illustrates what he means (vs 3–5). Exaggeration made the point. Of course, it’s the one with the plank in his eye who can’t see clearly (v 5)! Before our heavenly Father, there is no room for ‘holier-than-thou’ attitudes. We need to listen carefully to Jesus’ teaching. Discernment is required (v 6).
In verses 7–12, Jesus pulls our attention back to the loving Father–child relationship we have with God. We are invited to ask, seek and knock. Our Father loves to give good things to his children. If an earthly parent knows how to do this (vs 9–11), surely we can trust our Father in heaven to do the same (v 11). As members of God’s kingdom, as we would want others to love us, so we are to love others. This is God’s Law in action (v 12).
Respond
What might you ask God for today, both for yourself and others?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 45,46; Matthew 16
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray that in the months ahead we will see many more children and young people discovering the joy of reading the Bible so they can grow closer to God through its wisdom and inspiration.
