Today’s reading: John 7:14-24
When Jesus arrives at the Feast of Booths, he immediately goes to the temple and begins teaching. The people aren’t sure what to think about Jesus or his teaching because their assessment of the situation is shallow and based on appearances.
The people know a few things about Jesus: They know He performed miracles, they know where He’s from, and they know that He isn’t a Pharisee or someone in Jewish leadership. But they don’t bother to dig deeper into Jesus’s character and the significant message He’s delivering. Rather than embracing Jesus and His life-giving message, they are close minded and openly accuse him of having a demon–all because they jumped to a conclusion about Jesus based on circumstantial appearances.
Jesus explains to them their faulty thinking, concluding His reply with this wise statement:
“‘Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment'” (vs. 24).
How likely are you to make a snap judgment about someone based on appearances? When has taking action (or failing to take action) based on an assumption led you down a wrong path? Why is it so important not to jump to conclusions about someone’s situation or motives–particularly during this holiday season when many people are in need? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
