November 22

You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. — Matt 7:5 BSB

Greater than the fault you criticize is the sin of condemnation and criticism itself. We need grace most when dealing with someone who has gone astray. A lady once told me she was on her way to give a sister "a piece of her mind." I advised her to wait until she could love that sister a little more. Only He who loved sinners enough to die for them can truly deal with the wayward. We never see the whole heart; only God does. He can convict without condemning and correct without discouraging. Oh, how we need more of Christ’s heart! Be careful, brother, when pointing out someone else’s fault—you might end up in a worse position yourself. Jesus warned that the person who notices a speck in their brother’s eye usually has a log in their own! One of the two unpardonable sins in the Bible is unforgiving lovelessness.

Give me a heart like Yours,
Give me a heart like Yours,
By Your wonderful power,
By Your grace every hour,
Give me a heart like Yours.