Luke 6:37-42 Is There Something in Your Eye?
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: July 20, 2018 Luke 6:37-42
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
(Understanding the Text) We are told not to judge others and in return we will not be judged. Judged by who? God or other people? I think it must be God since other people judge you even when you don’t judge them. However, I have found that people tend to return what they receive. When they know that I accept them even when they do something wrong, they respond to me in a positive way. The parable of the blind leading the blind and the speck and the mote in the eye indicate that we are not competent to judge others because we are just as blind to our faults as they are to theirs. Jesus seems to indicate that a time will come when we are competent to judge. When? When we display the characteristics of God. We are not competent until we learn to give good for evil and love those who hurt us. We are not greater than Jesus. It is only by being like Him that we become qualified to judge with clarity and justice.
There is more than just restraining from judgment. We must forgive and give. This is just a restatement of the verses before this where we are told to love our enemies. I love the promise for giving to others. “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap” God will return our giving even when the person we give to does not, especially when the person we give to does not. There is a proverb that when we give to the poor, we are loaning money to God. “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed” (Proverbs 19:17). When we give without withholding, without self-protection, we do so knowing that the other person may hurt us or steal or not repay, but we do so knowing that our repayment comes from God, not the human we give to. When we forgive, the other person may not respond, but our reward is not with another person. Our reward is with God.
Jesus is showing His disciples how heaven works and how they must learn to react. Jesus tells them that right now they are blind and not qualified to judge others, but a day will come when they have been transformed through God’s love into people of the kingdom of heaven. In that day, they will be fully trained. In that day, they will be like Jesus.
(Application) I cannot be a teacher if I am critical and judgmental of others. I must be giving and forgiving. I must see the other person clearly without judgment interfering with my sight. I must see them in love and compassion. I am not being a victim who lets others hurt me for no cause. Instead, I must be proactively fighting evil by returning good. I’m not just receiving evil. I’m actively fighting evil by refusing to become a monster. I am fighting evil by refusing to condemn when I am justified to do so. This does not mean that I call evil good. This means that I say something is wrong, but forgive instead of attacking. I do not accept evil deeds, but return good to those who are hurt by evil and to the one who is being evil. It does not mean that I just accept someone else’s pain and do not try to stop it. It means that I am fighting the evil caused by others in a different manner. I am helping the victim while also returning good to the evildoer.
(Application / Prayer) The more I return good, the more my Father will be able to work in me and fill me with His love. The more I open myself to the full range of loving, the more I will be able to comprehend and fathom God’s love for me. In the end, returning good for evil is not about the other person; it’s about God and me. Fill me with Your love and help me to see Your beautiful love for me and for others. Deepen our relationship.