Judge Not Lest Ye Shall Be Judged

            Warren Wiersby, in his book, BE COMPASSIONATE, wrote about the blind English poet, John Milton. As Milton grew older, people began to forget him.

            One day, Charles II, son of the monarch whom the Puritans had beheaded, visited Milton. King Charles II said to him, “Your blindness is a judgment from God for the part you took against my father.”

            Milton replied to him, “If I have lost my sight through God's judgment, what can you say about your father who lost his head?”

            Too often, people misapply the teachings of Jesus concerning Mt. 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Wiersby’s story just might be an appropriate illustration.

Two-Faced

      I read a couple of weeks ago about a special cat. In Worcester, Mass., there is a cat named Frank/Louie. Why two names? Because he has two faces.

      The cat has a rare condition where one brain controls two faces. He is twelve years old and still going strong.

      That’s good for a cat, but Jesus says that it is not good for a person to have two faces. Hypocrisy is, symbolically speaking, having two faces.

      Jesus explicitly speaks out against hypocrisy thirteen times in the book of Matthew alone.

      Don’t be two-faced.

The Phone Call

            Dick Stovall wrote a bulletin article, several years ago, where he told of a new attorney, who had just opened up his office. He was concerned about building a clientele and, as he heard someone at the door and saw the door opening, he grabbed up the phone, thinking that he must impress this prospective client that he was busy.      

           Pretending he had someone on the phone he said, “Well, I’m very sorry, but it will be at least two weeks due to my present case load before I could possibly take your case.”

            He put down the receiver and asked the man standing in front of his desk, “Yes, Sir, and what can I do for you?”

            The man grinned and said, “I’m here to hook up your phone.”

            Over and over again, Jesus preached against the sin of hypocrisy. Authenticity and integrity are close to His heart.

  

Two-Faced

Abraham Lincoln was known for his humor. One story, perhaps apocryphal, speaks of Lincoln during the early period of his political career.

Some critics had accused Lincoln of sometimes lying and being two-faced. Hearing this, Lincoln responded, “If I had another face, do you think I would use this one?”

Abraham Lincoln may not have thought he had the luxury of being two-faced, but a lot of us do. It is imperative we be open, honest, and a people of great integrity.