Wormy Apples

March 23, 2019

DAILY READING

Luke 6:43-45
This weekend’s reading: Mark 14:66-72

FIELD NOTES

The CEB translation of the passage today says, “You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.”

This is so convicting to me as I am often quick to see how other people are failing or how other people sin before I notice the sin in my own life.  Yet Jesus challenges us to look not at others, but to our own selves first.  Focus and repent of your own sin before you condemn others so that you might bear beautiful fruit for the Kingdom.  We must begin with ourselves and make sure that we are living faithful lives before we begin to condemn others.  We must be rooted in love and grace in all that we do.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD 

• How have you been judged before? What was that experience like?
• How have you judged others before? Was that ultimately helpful or hurtful?
• How can you intentionally share God’s love with others today?

PRAYER GUIDE

Lord let us realize the plank in our own eyes before we point out the splinter in someone else’s.  Let us be people of love and grace to ourselves and to others.  In Your Son’s name Jesus, I pray.  Amen.