"Practicing What You're Preaching"
(Jesus said) "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 clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:3-5
This devotion really comes under the category of "Excuse me, would you say that again?"
Here's the story: a county health department in Ohio has closed its doors because the facility is infested with fleas.
Yup, fleas.
The Fairfield County Department of Health shut its doors over a weekend so the building could be cleaned and fogged. It's probably a good move, even though the county health commissioner does not believe the bugs have posed a health risk.
Excuse me, would you say that again?
Yes, it's most definitely a good move. As Jesus warned, it's hard to tell other people to be sanitary when little beasties are bouncing all over. Somehow the message seems just a little hypocritical.
A hypocrite -- that's something the Savior never was. What He said was the truth; what He did was perfect; what He promised was fulfilled. If Jesus said something, it was something you could take to the bank.
What kind of something? How about something like He came to seek and save the lost; He came for those who needed a physician; He came to suffer, die, and rise so we might be saved.
And that's God's own truth.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord and Savior, forgive me when I become a know-it-all, when I give commands and orders to my brothers rather than assistance. Forgive my false and foolish pride. Allow me to look upon You, the teller of truth, the giver of salvation. Let me believe what You say and trust what You have done. In Your Name. Amen.
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