Day 2, Romans 2

Well, here we go. Two days in a row! I feel good about that accomplishment. Hey, it's the little things. Anyhoo, here we go.

I love what Chapter 2 reveals about the impartiality of God. Paul hits the nail on the head when he says that when we judge one another, we condemn ourselves (v. 2). So often, we do not trust God to take care of His business with other people. I know how guilty I have been of this, often times calling it accountability or "church discipline." Not that either of those things are bad in and of themselves, but it is not my job to become the Jesus Police. Just because someone is doing something that I don't think is the right thing to do, I don't have the right to assume how God is going to handle it and decide in my head and heart what kind of person that individual is.

He continues on, referring to the gap between Jews and Gentiles, but the message is applicable for us all: "You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?" (v. 21-23) The most important part of "following the Law" is to continually self-check. Ugh...no matter how long I have been fighting this, these verses are a huge slap in the face. Even today, I have definitely cast judgement on more than one individual, even though I sit here having allowed myself to become more distant with God out of sheer laziness. Bam. Conviction. Thanks, Holy Spirit.

All that to say, my concern needs to shift to the point where it is about me and Jesus...no one else. I can encourage, I can speak truth, but cannot allow myself to put myself into God's shoes in their lives.

Sidenote: One thing that I have realized in the past 24 hours is that I can easily talk about God being first in my life, but is He really? Do I genuinely love Him more than certain individuals in my life, or do I say this out of duty and habit? Just a thought.