Devotional: Look At Yourself

Matthew 7:1-5

I have always liked Michael Jackson’s music. I like his rhythm, his beat, and his ability to dance. I had not always paid much attention to the lyrics of his music until my daughter told me that in his songs he frequently addresses some serious social issues. The words “look at yourself,” come from his song “Man in the Mirror.” In the song Michael says that he is going to make a change in his life. He says, “It’s gonna feel good, gonna make a difference, Gonna make it right.” How will he do this?

Michael observes the conditions of kids on the street in need of food and clothes. Instead of asking why others do not do something, he begins by looking at himself in the mirror. “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways, and no message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change.

We make life better for others and ourselves when we look at ourselves; when we first take the log out of our own eye so that we can see clearly to take the speck out of our brother’s eye. When we remove the log from our own eye and look at the man in the mirror we discover that God is calling us to make a difference in the world. We only need to look at ourselves and make the necessary changes.

Prayer: Father, open our eyes that we might see. We want to see ourselves as you see us. May we make the changes that we need to so that we might serve you in ministering to the needs of others? Amen.