SHORTCOMINGS
PROVERBS 16:18 (MSG)
First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
LUKE 6:41 (MSG)
It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
When we focus on the shortcomings of others we're setting ourselves up to crash and burn.
PRAYER
Lord, you have graciously given us the gift of observation and discernment. But we take things too far when we start measuring others against ourselves. I make my own life the gold standard by which others have to live. Grant me the additional gift of humility so that I can kindly give a hand to those who need a lift up. I'm going to measure everything and everyone according to your standard of grace. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
