May 9, 2019 - When a man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost, he reduced altitude and spotted a man below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me sir? Can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon, hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
"You are obviously a technical person," said the balloonist. "I am," replied the man. "But how did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me at all."
The man below responded, "You must be a politician." "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you are going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep. And you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is, you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
Well, we all tend to judge others more harshly than we do ourselves or our families for doing similar things. Paul addresses this in Romans Chapter 2. The Jews in Rome were judging the roman Christians for things that they thought were inappropriate, when they were guilty of the same sins. We are going to look at some things Paul points out about judging others.
Remember that when you point a finger at someone else there are four more fingers pointing back at you. Paul says that "we are without excuse," for the things we judge others for are the things we do ourselves. Romans 3:23 says "For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," There is no one who can stand in judgement of someone else. We need to stop judging people by our standards and what the world says is right. The only example worthy of comparison is Jesus.
When you judge others it brings the judgement of God onto you. And by the standard that you judge others you will be held accountable. Luke 6:37-38 says, "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” There is the law of reciprocity at work. "You always reap what you sow, and you always reap more than you sow."
God does not show partiality. If you sin or if you don't you will be judged by God. If you practice righteousness you will be blessed by God. It does not matter what church you go to, if your daddy was the head deacon or your mother was the matriarch of the church. God sees you for who you are and he judges you by your heart without partiality.
What is important in the end is that we don't judge, fear God, and embrace Gods grace not only for ourselves but for others. We must remember that Gods grace extends to everyone without partiality as well.
Mother Theresa wrote the poem, 'Anyway,' to chronicle how that love might change our lives. I leave it with you today to reflect and to pray:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
I'm Just Sayin,
Mike Belgard
