In Matthew 23:25, we read: “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
“Everything goes wrong for me.” Timmy slammed his baseball glove on the kitchen table.
Grandfather looked him in the eye. “You were fine when you left. What's in your glass?”
“What do you mean?”
Grandfather filled a glass with clean water. “This is your glass this morning. A new day with a clean slate.” He spooned dirt from a flower pot, stirred it into the water, handed it to Timmy.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Drink it. You’re riled up after the game. This’ll cool you down.”
“It’s dirty.” Grandfather chuckled.
“Yep, but doesn’t matter.”
“It does, too.”
“What've you added to your glass?” Grandfather cocked his head.
“Well.” Timmy looked at his feet. “We took a shortcut through Mrs. Nettles yard. Really her flowerbed. When she yelled, we laughed.”
“Seems to me, you’ve some cleaning to do. First, the inside of your glass. Then clean the outside. Go to Mrs. Nettles--“
“But she’s mean--“ Grandfather held up his hand, gave Timmy one of his looks. “Yessir.”
At supper, a tired, but happy, Timmy reported. “Mrs. Nettles's a nice lady. I surprised her when I rang her doorbell. I told her I was sorry and came to clean her flower bed. You know what?” Grandfather smiled. “She helped me. Told me I did a good job.”
“I’m proud of you, son. Takes a strong person to admit they’re wrong and to right the wrong.” He ruffled Timmy’s hair. Timmy grinned.
Kingdom Thinking. Before I can right my wrong, I have to go to the Lord Jesus, ask Him to forgive me, to clean the inside of my cup. Then I go to the one I’ve wronged. But not alone. The Lord Jesus promises to love me and never leave nor forsake me. He offers the same to you. Won’t you come?
“Everything goes wrong for me.” Timmy slammed his baseball glove on the kitchen table.
Grandfather looked him in the eye. “You were fine when you left. What's in your glass?”
“What do you mean?”
Grandfather filled a glass with clean water. “This is your glass this morning. A new day with a clean slate.” He spooned dirt from a flower pot, stirred it into the water, handed it to Timmy.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Drink it. You’re riled up after the game. This’ll cool you down.”
“It’s dirty.” Grandfather chuckled.
“Yep, but doesn’t matter.”
“It does, too.”
“What've you added to your glass?” Grandfather cocked his head.
“Well.” Timmy looked at his feet. “We took a shortcut through Mrs. Nettles yard. Really her flowerbed. When she yelled, we laughed.”
“Seems to me, you’ve some cleaning to do. First, the inside of your glass. Then clean the outside. Go to Mrs. Nettles--“
“But she’s mean--“ Grandfather held up his hand, gave Timmy one of his looks. “Yessir.”
At supper, a tired, but happy, Timmy reported. “Mrs. Nettles's a nice lady. I surprised her when I rang her doorbell. I told her I was sorry and came to clean her flower bed. You know what?” Grandfather smiled. “She helped me. Told me I did a good job.”
“I’m proud of you, son. Takes a strong person to admit they’re wrong and to right the wrong.” He ruffled Timmy’s hair. Timmy grinned.
Kingdom Thinking. Before I can right my wrong, I have to go to the Lord Jesus, ask Him to forgive me, to clean the inside of my cup. Then I go to the one I’ve wronged. But not alone. The Lord Jesus promises to love me and never leave nor forsake me. He offers the same to you. Won’t you come?
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