Daily Devotional
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
Matthew 7:3
There is a counterfeit of discernment that is really just a critical spirit wearing a halo. Jesus warned about it in the verses just before this one. People take a fault finding heart, baptize it, and call it discernment. They say they have discernment, but notice that everything they discern is negative. This person cannot be trusted. That person is horrible. That is not wisdom. That is a plank.
Real discernment, is the ability to tell the difference between a struggling brother and a scornful enemy, between a child who is rebelling and a child who is simply suffering. A good parent is neither harsh nor blind. The harsh parent pounces on every mistake. The blind parent sees nothing. The wise parent knows the child. That kind of knowing love is what Jesus is calling out of you.
So test yourself honestly. When your discernment speaks, where does it lead you? If it always leads to suspicion and superiority, look in the mirror, because there may be a log sticking out of your eye. True discernment is just as likely to lead you toward mercy as away from danger.
Today's Challenge
When your discernment speaks, does it more often lead you to mercy or to suspicion? What does that pattern reveal about your heart?
Prayer
Lord, I confess how easily I dress up my critical spirit and call it wisdom. Pull the log out of my eye. Give me the discernment that knows when to speak and when to be silent, and let it lead me toward mercy more than suspicion. In Jesus' name, Amen.
