Topic > Relationships
More Than Enough
When I entertained a large group in my home, I feared that the menu I planned wouldn’t be enough to serve all the guests. I shouldn’t have worried though. Several friends unexpectedly brought additional items and all of us were able to enjoy the surprise surplus. We had more than enough and were able to share out of the abundance.
Discover the difference between constructive criticism and destructive judgment
The tongue is a powerful instrument that can be used for either good, or evil. The Bible says life and death are in the power of our words! A helpful dialogue from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
How being a “splinter-remover” has its risks, but also rich rewards
Have you ever tried to help a friend deal with a sinful action, only to encounter resentment, hurt, and frustration? If so, you might question whether it’s worth trying to help at all.
Where is the line between loving concern and destructive judgment?
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should help one another stay on the straight and narrow path. Let's get a better understanding of how to counsel others, without condemning ourselves!
Discover why Jesus used the term “hypocrite” in His illustration about judgment
There are few words harsher than the word “hypocrite.” No one wants to be labeled a phony, a fraud, or a pretender! Could Jesus be talking about us?
Let’s look at Jesus’ illustration of a man with a log in his eye!
Teachers don’t always have to be serious and somber. Jesus proved that sometimes humor and hyperbole are the best way to get your point across!
First Impressions
As I shopped for groceries one day, I was perceived as a thief by one person and a hero by another.
As I exited the supermarket, an employee said, “Excuse me, Sir. There are too many unbagged items in your cart.” This is evidently a strategy used by shoplifters. When he saw that they were products too big to be bagged, he apologized and sent me on my way.
Understanding the danger of criticizing others
In Matthew 7, Jesus tells a comical story about two men. One has a bit of dust in his eye. But the other guy is walking around with a giant log sticking out of his eyeball! Let's explore this humorous illustration to discover profound truth.
Practicing Jesus’ principle to “take the log out of our eye before we take the splinter out of another’s”!
It’s easy to point out the problems in someone else’s life, and turn a blind eye to the problems in our own.
Discover why condemnation, either of others or ourselves, is best left up to God
Maybe you don’t make a habit of criticizing others, but you’re quick to judge yourself!
See what God’s Word has to say on the subject of judging others
If you’ve been in relationship with an overly critical person you know how hurtful it can be to live under constant criticism. Let's examine how our judgments of others can turn around and harm us.
Discover why Jesus said that by judging others, we may be judging ourselves!
Often the reason we can pick out certain faults in others is because we struggle with those very same issues.
The biblical law of sowing and reaping when it comes to judging others
If you plant an apple tree, you expect to harvest apples in the future. In the same turn, if you sow seeds of judgment, chances are you’ll eventually receive criticism yourself!
Gain a clearer understanding of Jesus’ teachings on judgment
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He makes a bold statement that we are not to judge others unless we want to be judged in the same way. Let's take a deeper look at Jesus’ teachings on judgment.
The Lesson
One summer I was at a gathering of old high school acquaintances when someone behind me tapped me on my shoulder. As my eyes drifted over the woman’s name tag, my mind drifted back in time. I remembered a tightly folded note that had been shoved through the slot on my locker.
