A Serious Character Flaw

DAY 20- Proverbs 22

Two-thirds of the way to my goal... Whoo-Hoo! But by the grace of God have I followed this through. Now, I not only want to see the finish line of my 30 day challenge, but I truly want to keep going. I can't believe how much the Lord is teaching me and transforming me through this daily devotion time. When the challenge is over I'll try to verbalize what He's done in my life.

Today's passage contained a verse that initially made me feel a twinge of guilt and pain. But as I began to think about how it applies to my life and write about it, the twinge turned to stabbing pain. Let me begin by saying that I am SO flawed, that the only reason I am still allowed to keep breathing is God's forgiveness.

Verse 2 says, "Rich and poor have this in common: the Lord is the Maker of them all." Why did this convict me so much this morning? As I began to think about it and write it in my journal, I began to realize that I have become very judgemental. For some reason I sometimes find myself 'sizing up' people or judging them based on shallow observation. It's usually people I don't even know- people in the store or on the street. I find myself looking for their flaws because somehow that makes me feel better about myself. I guess this is based in some deep insecurity, but that doesn't excuse it. The people who deserve the greatest compassion from me, yet are sometimes the ones I most easily scrutinize, are people who are obviously poorer than me. I tend to question what has caused their predicament and mentally conclude that it must be poor choices or drugs/alcohol/gambling, etc. Or I assume they don't seek God, so he isn't helping them.

As I strive to become a more Christ-like man, I am deeply saddened to realize how I have eroded into this thought process without realizing I do it! This verse reminded me that God created every person, and made them exactly as He intended. No mistakes. No one is better than anyone else in God's eyes, and certainly shouldn't be in my eyes either. He loves each of us the same.

"Forgive me, Lord, for when I have acted superior and judged those you have lovingly created. Help me to see the beauty and wonder in others and to love them the way You do."