Luke 6:41-42

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Personal Challenge

Jesus continues His teaching on our behavior in relationships by telling us that it is not our responsibility correcting another in their sin. We must focus on resolving and eliminating the sin in our own lives before we focus on calling out someone else’s sin. This does not mean that we stop being there for one another and loving them through the midst of their trials. If we are to be “fixing” anyone, it is ourselves that we should be focusing on. By doing this we are freed up to be able to encourage another. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Tobit 12:6-7

Then Raphael secretly called the two of them, and said to them, “Bless God and give Him thanks. Ascribe greatness to Him and give thanks in the presence of all the living for what He has done for you. It is good to bless God and to exalt His name. Make known the words of God’s works honorably and do not delay to give thanks to Him. It is noble to keep hidden the secret of a king, but glorious to unveil the works of God. Do good, and evil will not find you.

Encouraging Words

The book of Tobit is an excellent reminder that no matter what the circumstances are that we are facing in our lives, we can always trust in God. He will always be there with us and for us. Unfortunately, most western Christians have never seen Tobit since it is an apocryphal book. In this passage we are reminded that sometimes God sends angels into our lives to guide us through our challenges. This angel, Raphael, teaches Tobit and his son, Tobias, to always give God thanks and blessings for how much He does in our lives. Glory be to God!

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Personal Challenge

How interesting it is that the last verse that I meditated on from Tobit focused on giving and then this verse is next in line. Definitely not a coincidence. Here Jesus is teaching us one of God’s natural laws. We are measured in what we receive from God by what we give to others. If we give abundantly then we receive abundantly. If we give abundantly, then we receive abundantly. If we give begrudgingly, then we receive the same. This law works both in the giving of good things as well as in the giving of bad things. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner!

Tobit 4:16

From your bread, give to him who is hungry, and from your clothing, give to the naked. If you have more than you need, do almsgiving, and do not let your eye envy the almsgiving when you do it.

Personal Challenge

As Tobit continues to teach his son how to be a godly man, he moves into this teaching. It is clear in the gospels that Jesus taught these same values to live by. The formula is really quite simple, give to those who have a need from the surplus that we have been blessed with. Glory be to God!

Luke 6:37

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Personal Challenge

It has amazed me to see so many professing Christians who believe, and are taught in their faith practices, that they are the prosecutor, judge, and jury of the people around them. They believe that it is their responsibility to set aright those who are sinners and not living the way that they deem as right. These people are in our churches, our places of work, and in our politics. I do not understand how they can justify this action when Jesus clearly tells us not to judge and condemn, but to forgive. We must always remember that we too are sinners and can easily be judged and condemned. We are in desperate need of forgiveness. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for my judgmental ways.

Tobit 4:5-7

My son, remember the Lord our God all your days, and do not desire to sin or to disobey His commandments. Do righteousness all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing. For if you walk in the truth, you will be successful in your works. Do almsgiving from your possessions to all who do righteousness. When you do almsgiving, do not let your eye be envious. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, so the face of God will not be turned away from you.

Personal Challenge

Tobit was a godly, righteous man. He followed his God closely and did things in his life to glorify Him. He reminds us here that there comes a time in every father’s life where it is necessary to pour our fatherly experiences and wisdom into our children’s lives in order to bless them and prepare them for their opportunity of adulthood. The advice given here is still timely today. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 6:32-36

Tobit 1:6

But I alone traveled frequently to Jerusalem for the feast days, as it is written for all of Israel in an everlasting ordinance. I would carry the firstfruits and the tithes of my harvest and the first-shearing.

Personal challenge

If we are truly trying to follow Christ, we must be ready for those times that Jesus will call us to do things that are very inconvenient. Actually, the more we strive to follow Christ, the more inconvenient it seems to get. Why is this? As followers of Christ, we are no longer citizens of this world, but citizens of the kingdom heaven. As citizens of heaven, the things of this world become noise and obstacles to doing His work. Glory be to God.