MATTHEW
CHAPTER
7
1. "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.
(Matthew Chapter 7 verse 1)
Oh Father you made us in such a majestic way. You gave us the faculty of making an assessment on people and situations, however as humans we tend to pass negative judgement on others and at times we create labels to place on others that are hard to remove once they are attached. We do it on ourselves and even on others. The funny things is that once we become aware or somebody makes us aware of our weaknesses instead of praying to God to help us overcome that weakness in order to improve our spiritual, social and psychological being we project our weaknesses on to others by calling them names and projecting our weakness as a label. Some people are called slow coaches, dumb, silly and many other negative words. In other cases we place labels people whom we might fear such as illegal immigrants or people of different skin or race and we create a social bias that is sure to spread like a disease with negative consequences, however at heart we do so because such groups raise our fears and therefore we use labelling and judgement as negative means of 'self-defense' which is not Christian or Catholic at all.
In this respect I would like to share with you a very sweet story by Max Lucado that is very appropriate with the message of Matthew Chapter 7 verse 1. I invite you to click on the following link.
Max Lucado and labelling story
3. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4. Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? 5. You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.
(Matthew Chapter 7 verses 3 to 5)
At times we tend to put aside our own weaknesses and put on a mask of superiority on those who happen to be in a weaker position than us, and adopt the role of God, by saying what should be done from a human point of view in the situation and never leading the person to God who has all the answers to our problems.
6. "Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
(Matthew chapter 7 verse 6)
God is telling us to be very cautious about what we may share with unbelievers. We are to be very careful in what is precious to us as Christians. Many sects are taking verses from your Word oh God and try to disprove the authenticity of Your Word. Others are making films and writing books that also distort the message of Your Word. In this respect we are to protest against such measures in order to protect what is Holy and precious and protect it from ending up in the possession of those who do not believe in You and Your Word. The current greatest threat is this terrorist group that is threatening to destroy all traces of Christianity. We are to unite in prayer in order to preserve the Pope and all that is Christian while there is still available time.
7. "Ask, and it will be given you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9. Is there anyone among you who if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10. Or if the child asks for a fish will give a snake? 11. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
(Matthew Chapter 7 verses 7 to 11)
Oh God how loving you are and how generous and considerate You are to humanity. Yo not only gave us instructions on how to lead a life that gives you pleasure but You also gave us the means of reaching that end. When we have questions in life about both spiritual and material issues You told us to ask. Today more than before knowledge is at our finger tips, a click away. On the other hand God and His Word are always available to answer all the issues of our life. In order to find what we want we need to ask questions that God will surely answer when He considers as being the proper time.
When You oh God father of all love and knowledge has the right answer in Your own good time You will give us the answer by means of Your Word, people of God and other means and situations that You consider as being appropriate to the given situation.
12. "In everything do to others as you would have them to to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
(Matthew chapter 7 verse 12)
Indeed oh God this is the law of laws. If we reflect on the consequences of the actions that we plan to inflict on others or even wish to in our hearts we may think twice on that action especially when considering the consequences that we would endure if the same action was done to us. In the same way from a more positive point of view we can conclude oh God, that we have a great wish to be loved by You and by others, therefore likewise in the light of this dictum that is verse 12 of chapter 7 of the Gospel of Matthew we are to love others beforehand. If we always thought on this structure we would never even think of hurting others or doing a negative action. Our lives would be totally the reflection of You our Father and Master Creator.
13. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
(Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 to 14)
Jesus instructs us that if we want to follow Him we are to go on a diet of the ways of the world. We are to renounce values and practises that are held as a must or a rule or a value, that in substance in in contrary to Your Word oh God. In light of verses 13 to 14 I would like to share with you the following insights. I invite you to click on the following link:-
Insights on Wide and Narrow Road
15. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
(Matthew chapter 7 verse 15)
The world offers us many situations that appear to be good but in truth they, may have evil connotations. Mother technology promises an easy click and push button way of life which if used in a correct manner is priceless, however, these same means can be easily used wrongly.
16. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17. In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20. Thus you will now them by their fruits.
(Matthew chapter 7 verses 16 to 20)
Jesus is advising us to analyse the actions of those persons who come to us under the disguise of holiness or goodness, for in truth they may not be as genuine as they appear. The criteria that Jesus gives us in order to carry out this task is the person's actions. Mother Theresa would never have been involved in a multimillionaire dollar fraud in Calcutta, St.Francis of Assisi would never have been involved in a scam that would destroy any living creature, or a scam that would drain the rich from their resources in order to feed the poor. However on reflecting on God we can easily turn the focus on ourselves and reflect if our actions match what we say and what we believe.
I can easily start from myself oh God. You explain to us that we need not worry, however when I was informed that our 7 year old daughter needed glasses, I was worried sick. I started blaming myself of having produced a defective child, instead of accepting the fact that I also have glasses and that this is surely the will of God and that I would have had better given thanks to You oh God that by means of competent people you illuminated us in time to take the necessary action. On reflecting even though I reflect on Your Word oh Jesus my action of worry still did not reflect Your presence in my life. Although the tree appears to be good, the fruit produced was sour and bad.
I pray for Your forgiveness oh Jesus because my actions did not reflect my belief. If You were to reap my produce You would not have found good fruit, and you may even have decided to throw my tree into the fire. However it seems that You have had mercy on me and still love me, because although I am a weak and sinful person You are still giving me the chance of placing my trust in You and changing my sinful ways.
21. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name? 23. Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'
(Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 to 23)
This is one of my greatest fears oh Jesus. Although I sincerely love You, I always fear that I do not love You enough. I am aware of why I have this great concern oh Jesus. This is because I have lived circumstances as You well know that although I have loved people such as my father but in time he has rejected me as his son by means of the annulment that he has applied and is about to get. I understand that as a loving father You stand in the same boots. Not all who profess their love for you are genuinely believers in You, even though they may have taken vows in order to dedicate their life to You. I pray oh Jesus that You have mercy on me and the world, so that our lives will not be better than that of those who profess to love and believe in You and then go against Your Word and the faith that You have given to us.
It is better oh Jesus for me not to have been born at all, if at the time of my leaving this world I will not merit your grace of after being exposed to the state of purification of my sins will not be allowed to spend the rest of my life in Your presence. It would truly be a waste of a life and time on earth. However oh Jesus I am in no position to make such a gross statement me who am only the dust of the earth. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
24. "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell-and great was its fall.
(Matthew chapter 7 verses 24 to 27)
On reflecting Jesus is plain and simple. Your statements are so true and down to earth. You never promised us a life without tribulations just because we pray on Your Word or because we are regular Church goers. Tribulations may still befall us, however the major difference between those who have their lives built on the Rock that is the 'Word of God' and those who have built their lives on the world, and its teachings, is that the attitude of those who have built their lives on God is more positive. Therefore even when the strong winds blow on their situations and although some walls or ceilings may cave in or are completely destroyed people of God simply accept all that has happened as being according to the Will of God and adopt an attitude of thanksgiving instead of one of depression, anger or condemnation of God.
28. Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29. for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
(Matthew chapter 7 verse 28 to 29)
Oh Jesus you have a special way of delivering Your message. When speaking Yo do not need to cite other people's prayers or speeches or philosophical or theological arguments, because all knowledge has its roots in you. You are an authority in Yourself unlike the scribes of your time and therefore You do not need to cite other sources or authorities.
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
Thanks Jesus for all the messages that you have given me throughout these seven chapters of the book of Matthew and even in the chapters of the 'Old Testament' I pray that you help me to live each and every word and insight that You shared with me and put it into practise. I pray that my fruits reflect the type of person who I am and that when my time is up You will reap good fruit from my tree. Thanks Jesus.
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