Today's Verse: Matthew 7:3-5

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

"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."
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Jesus reminds us in his Sermon on the Mount about a destructive sin that often afflicts his followers: trying to deflect our guilt by finding fault in others. Finding fault with someone else is all too easy for most of us. Finding fault in ourselves is much trickier. Jesus reminds us that we must deal with the shortcomings and sins in our own lives before we start telling others how to live their life. Deflection, blaming, and finding fault are destructive to our allegiance to the Lord and our desire to honor him. So, let's confess our sins (James 5:16) and not find fault in others (Matthew 7:1-2). Seems pretty simple. But we all know it isn't. So, dear friend of Jesus, let's pray for the Holy Spirit's help to be gracious and forgiving toward others, and humbly confess our faults to one another (Matthew 18:23-35)

My Prayer...

Father, please forgive me because I have sometimes been severe, harsh, and judgmental toward others. I am aware that there are issues in my own life that I need to address with the guidance of your Holy Spirit. I confess that there are routine sins that I often excuse in myself. Please, dear Lord, forgive my sins of deflecting my guilt by blaming others and finding fault in others. Please empower me to move beyond it to become a more gracious and redemptive disciple of Jesus. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

14 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 7:3-5 — "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."

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, July 27, 2021

A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
"Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve him night and day ..."
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
"Let us learn from Mary Magdalene how to obtain fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Notice how she sought. She sought the Saviour very early in the..."
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
"[While Jesus was praying alone], the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves...."
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
"By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.