Romans 2:19-24 “if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for
those who are in the dark, 20 an
instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in
the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you,
then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against
stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say
that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor
idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who
boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among
the Gentiles because of you.”
Romans 2:19-24
Here, Paul is
bluntly confronting the self-righteous Jews. Sometimes I skim over these
verses thinking I’m not like these Jews. I don’t think I set expectations of
others that I don’t set for myself. However, if I really examine all my
behaviors and thoughts, I am hypocritical. I don’t always meet my own
expectations for myself, much less God’s expectations.
Just last
night I got on to James and Sarah several times for talking at dinner with food
in their mouth. One of the times I realized I still had some food in my mouth
when I was telling them to wait to talk until they had finished chewing!!!
In your and
my areas of responsibility, what are you and I teaching others (co-workers,
spouses, children, peers, communities, church members)?
Are you and I
holding ourselves to the same expectations?
Do you and I
expect our co-workers to be diligent and not waist time, but do you and I waist
time in different ways?
Do you and I
expect our family members to be considerate, but do you and I always think of
their needs first?
Let’s ask God
to help us recognize (and address) where we are being self-righteous,
hypocritical, or holding double standards.
Alice
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