A Weekly Devotional from the
South Green Street Church of Christ

The story is told of a man who was in court, being cross examined by the prosecuting attorney.  The attorney very forcefully said, "Is it not true that you accepted several thousand dollars to compromise this case?"  The man in the witness chair said nothing.  Again, the attorney said, "Is it not true that you accepted several thousand dollars to compromise this case?"  Again, the man just sat there and said nothing.  Finally, the judge leaned over and whispered to the man, "Sir, you must answer his question."  The man innocently looked at the judge and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought he was talking to you."

Isn't that just like humans?  We fail to make application to ourselves, but instead look to blame or accuse others.  I think many of my sermons have had a very similar response.  Everyone thinks I'm talking to someone else.  Some good brother or sister will come out the door on Sunday and say, "Boy, now that was a good sermon.  I sure hope brother so-and-so was here today to hear it, because they needed it!"

Friends, before we try to make application of truth upon another person's life, should we not first do a little introspective soul-searching?  Before we remove the speck from another person's eye, maybe we first ought to remove the beam from our own (Matthew 7:1-5).  Give it some thought.