I asked my children to tidy their rooms before going on an adventure with my mom. While helping my girls get their explosion-of-a-room in order, I heard my 8-year old grunting and growling in the room next door.
I peeked in his room to see if he was okay and saw that his bed was still unmade.
“Honey, make your bed and you can go,” I said to him.
He trailed off, venting to me about the mess in his closet. His sisters pulled out all of his toys, leaving the small space in disarray.
“Did I ask you to clean the closet?” I aksed.
“No.”
“Then why are you worried about it?”
He was so worked up, feeling like he needed to take care of his sisters’ mess. He couldn’t help but stew over the fact that someone else tore up his space, even though I already assured him I would take care of it.
Wait a second…This seems familiar.
Oh, God, I know I’ve done this to You before—complaining about someone else’s mess, feeling like I have to be responsible for it, stewing over it, obsessing about it. I’ve judged people for their sin all the while ignoring my own shortcomings.
These verses come to mind:
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:3-5 NKJV)
It’s true, sometimes I get so caught up in how someone else hurt me that I fail to see where I’m in the wrong.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:8-9 NKJV)
When my son finally calmed himself down enough to make his own bed, he noticed me cleaning up the mess in his closet. Just like I took care of the wrong that had been done to my son, God takes care of the wrongs that are done to me. I don’t have to get angry or get even. God takes care of it all, and He gives both parties a fresh start.
“I, yes I, am the One and Only, who completely erases your sins, never to be seen again. I will not remember them again. Freely I do this because of who I am!” (Isaiah 43:25 TPT)
Thank You, Lord for the gift of forgiveness. Help me walk in Your grace and give it freely to others. Help me not to take matters into my own hands, but to trust You with the outcome of my life—that You will uphold honor and dignity.
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
(Romans 12:19-21 NKJV)
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