Matthew Chapter 7

Since the new year started I've been reading a passage of the Bible a day thanks to this website.

Today, my passage included verses from Matthew, Chapter 7. Sometimes, I like to look the passages up in The Message for a more conversational feel.

Some of these verses really hit home.

1 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment.

3 It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.

4 Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt?

5 It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

12 "Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

22 I can see it now - at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.'

23 And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.

26 "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.

27 When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

I don't want to be doing this to other people. I've been on the receiving end and it does not feel good.

I feel like my whole life, my dad's always told me, "Treat people the way you want to be treated." At the same time though, I'm learning, coming to realize, that you have to be yourself in this process. Stand up for yourself. Be kind, while being you. Live your life by honestly being kind to people, no matter how they treat you.

I do not want to meet my maker and hear him tell me "Lindsay, you missed the boat."

I mean say whaaaaat? Yikes.

Anyway, too deep for a Tuesday night?