Christ Church Daily Devotion April 7 2024

Jesus teaches about not judging others and emphasizes the importance of self-reflection. He uses a humorous image of someone with a large plank in their eye compared to a small speck in someone else's eye. Jesus knew how to balance seriousness and enjoyment in life. Christ Church invites people to join their Funday Sunday worship. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for April 7th, 2024. Today we will be reading from Matthew chapter 7, verses 1 through 5. Do not judge or you too will be judged, for in the same way you judge others, you will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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? 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? You hypocrite! First, take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clarity, to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Jesus was a great teacher, and great teachers know that if you can offer a mental image or illustration to go along with the lesson, the student will be more apt to understand and remember it. Here, Jesus uses this ridiculous cartoon-like image of someone with a log or plank, extending out of their eye. He offers it in comparison to someone having just a splinter in their eye. In teaching the lesson about not judging, he cleverly makes the point of how ridiculous we can look at times, when we choose to find fault with someone else, while being seemingly oblivious to our own faults and sins. It's a funny image that makes a serious point. Jesus knew how to have fun, to have a good time and enjoy life. He also knew when and how to be serious, and focus on important matters of everyday life that have eternal consequences. Still today, his followers are invited to learn from him and follow his example on both accounts. As we sometimes like to say as Christ Church, we seek not to take ourselves too seriously, but to always be seriously committed to our mission. Your personal worship option today is to bring your chair or blanket and join us this morning for Funday Sunday worship. Music starts at 10 and the service beginning at 10.30. Hope to see you there and bring a carload with you.