Title: Do Unto Others/ Topic: Judgement vs. Mercy

Today's Reading: Romans 1; Romans 2; Romans 3; Romans 4

Scripture: Romans 2:1-4
1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

Observation/Application: This verse causes me to engage in deep self-examination whenever I come to it. It's a very convicting verse. I have to stop and consider whether I have been judging people (whether silently to myself or verbally to others) for things that I myself do. We all have such a tendency to excuse or justify our own sin (such as gossip) while judging it in others. This is especially true if someone has offended us. We can feel justified in speaking of their misconduct and in doing so, we ourselves have just engaged in sin by speaking to others of their offense rather than to them directly and leaving it there. I need to have the same tolerance, patience and kindness as God does; and because I've been forgiven of so much, I must also forgive others. Period.

Prayer: Oh Lord, help me to live by this scripture! I want to demonstrate the love, kindness and patience that leads others to repentance, just as you do. Thank you for the great mercy you have shown to me. I so want to be a dispenser of that same mercy to others.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.