Luke 6:36-45 Be Merciful and Judge Not Your Neighbor

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “ Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” And He also spoke a parable to them: “ A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

In this sequence, Jesus first blesses those who long for the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. Then He presents a series of “woes” to those who have received their full reward on earth, but have forfeited Heavenly treasures and everlasting reward. Next, Jesus exhorts believers to “love our enemy” because this is in keeping with Jesus who is our example. Finally He commands our mercy, because one who is truly good on the inside will show the value of his fruit by lending mercy and grace to our brother and our neighbor. This is easily shown by judging not, lest we lend ourselves to be judged by the same measure.

Daily Prayer: Lord, show us who we are apart from You so that we will be slow to judge and lend mercy without hesitation. By doing so, maybe others will come to know the love of God through me. In Jesus name I pray Amen.