It’s Not Me, It’s You

Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

MATTHEW 7:5

HAVE YOU EVER told someone not to lie but then turned around and done it yourself? Or let someone know how mad you were that he cut in line and then took cuts from a friend?

When we tell others not to do something because it’s bad, and then we do that very thing ourselves, it’s called hypocrisy. And hypocrisy is kind of like poison. When we say we love God but then act in hypocritical ways, other people see that and wonder what God must be like for us to do those things. So we have the opportunity to “walk the talk,” as the saying goes. That means we actually do what the Bible says. We don’t preach to others about what they’re doing wrong and then do those wrong things ourselves.

God doesn’t want us to be the police. He wants us to love and serve others. It’s not our job to be on the lookout for mistakes we can point out in others’ lives. Our job is to be honest and true to God’s commands and spread his love like wildfire. As this verse tells us, we should start with making sure we are following God and doing what’s right. Then we’ll be ready to help our friends do the same.

DO

At the bottom of this page, list three things other people do that bug you. Maybe it’s cheating on tests, talking about other people, or texting too much. Look hard at those things and be honest with yourself: Have you done these same things? How will you stop doing them?

PRAY

Dear God,

Wow! Hypocrisy is a hard thing. Please help me resist the urge to focus on what others are doing wrong and instead focus on how I can love and serve others and follow your commands better myself. Amen.

READ

Romans 2:3; 1 John 4:20