How does a follower of Jesus treat others?
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12a).
Read Matthew 7:1–12
As we have journeyed through Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount this week, we have focused on what is required of us as followers of Jesus. As I prepared these devotions, I found that these passages remind me of the ‘plank in my own eye’ (verse 3) that still needs lots of work. How am I to ‘cast stones’ when there is still so much work for the Holy Spirit to do with me?
Of course, Jesus wants us to have good discernment (‘wise as serpents’ – see Matthew 10:16), but we must be careful that we don’t set ourselves up as the judge of others, as there is only one Judge (James 4:12). It is not up to us to decide who God saves, especially given that we cannot even save ourselves.
Remember when we looked at the Lord’s Prayer on Tuesday? Check out the verses Matthew included following the prayer (Matthew 6:14,15). If we are forgiven, then we should forgive others. If God is gracious to us, then it makes sense that we should be gracious to others. When I get frustrated with others, I try to remember a comment a Pentecostal pastor (and good friend) said to some of us pastors: ‘I am glad that God is more patient with me than I am with others!’
As we deal with our families, schoolmates, friends, work colleagues – whomever we encounter – we need to remember how our loving God has treated us, and this should then be how we treat others.
Gracious Father, forgive me for how often I forget all you have done for me. Remind me each day of your wonderful gospel. Please help me, through the power of your Spirit, to treat others well. I pray in the name of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
