Week 2 Day 4 - It's Time For a Makeover!

Week 2 – It’s Time for a Makeover!

Day 4:  Romans 15:14

¹⁴ I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

Matthew 7:3-5

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.

How many of us have been somewhere and witnessed a child totally controlling the parent.  The behavior isn’t just that of a child that is tired or young, but truly a disrespectful child that doesn’t hold any value in the authority or guidance of their parents.  It makes me crazy.  Not because I think my children are so perfect, far from my thinking actually, but rather because I feel so bad for the child.  Their behavior is a direct result of someone thinking that correction in the child’s life was less valuable than either giving in to their every want and demand, or less valuable to invest the time it takes to correct appropriately over what they instead give their time to.  Either way, the end result is a child that is almost unbearable to be around.  Sometimes, I just want to walk up and recommend the word NO.  It does wonders, especially when followed through.  I have always tried to raise my kids in a way that they were able to be who they are meant to be as individual people that think for themselves, but also in a way that recognizes there are many other people in the world.  It makes for a more peaceful existence for everyone.  When I see them out of line, I correct them.  Always it is done in love for them and the opportunity to become the best they can be.  It seems so clear to me.  We guard their minds, their hearts, and their behavior because we want them to grow into amazing people that God can use however He chooses for His Kingdom.  I think we as believers are the very same way.  No one has this Christian thing down, do we?  I know for me, God has work to do every single day.  And sometimes the greatest lessons that have stung in the moment, but brought beautiful praise in song to God afterwards, was when a Christian with great wisdom, admonished me, like step 3 in our Makeover to peace discusses in Colossians. (See Week 2 Day 1) The gift of their willingness to hold me to the standards of the word of God, has produced fruit in my life that otherwise, might never have grown.  It is never fun to realize you are out of line, but man is it fun to find yourself back in line and free of the thorns the wrong path can bring.  But what makes us be able to receive that admonishing?  And what prepares us to do the same for someone else as Romans 15:14 states?  There are two vital points:  1) we must be filled with goodness.  In other words our heart must be filled with Jesus or we can’t be good.  Our flesh alone is never good.  We are naturally sinners.  So to be able to be prepared, we must have Jesus, who is good.  2) we must have knowledge.  That means we need to be in the Word so that we know God’s ways.  Only God is an expert on God, but if we read the inspired word He left us, and ask Him to use the Spirit to guide us, He will open our minds to understanding we never knew we could have.  If a Christian friend is holding us accountable, we will be most likely to respect them if we know this of them, would we not?  And the same is true, should we want to help someone we love avoid the wrong path as well.  Finally, and most importantly, in order for things to end in praise for everyone, do as Matt.7:3-5.  Never, ever deal with a brother’s speck when you have planks in your own eye.  If we look inward first, God will take care of the rest and we will find ourselves in healthy relationships with other believers praising God for even the times we were corrected or have to correct.  God is the judge… not us.  We are only here to love and serve God.  Should He use us to show someone a way back, praise Him, but never, ever if we are looking inward first, we will find ourselves in a place of feeling above anyone for any reason.  It just isn’t how it works.  It takes effort, but oh so much more peace is found in living this out!  What makes it most difficult for you to look inward first?  What is most difficult when someone you really admire, helps you see that you are struggling?