Your Reflection
Scripture:
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.”
—Luke 6:37–38
Jesus’s words in Luke 6 remind us that love is never neutral. We see others, speak to others, and respond to others; this matters deeply. If we approach people with criticism instead of compassion, that same spirit finds its way back to us. When we choose generosity, grace, and mercy, those very things return in full measure.
Loving others sounds simple, yet living it out can feel uncomfortable, especially when it comes to witnessing to others. How do we approach someone who is homeless or struggling with addiction? Before we say a single word, something else speaks first: our face.
Do I have a judgment written across it? Can they see discomfort, fear, or superiority? Or do they see the love and unconditional forgiveness of Christ? These are not easy questions, but they are necessary ones. People who are hurting are often experts at reading expressions. They know when they are being looked down on, and they know when they are truly seen.
I remember leading a middle school youth group and asking the students to draw a picture of Jesus. Every year, the first-time kids would draw Him the same way: long hair, white robe, gentle smile. But the students who had been in the class before would draw something different. They would draw themselves. They had learned an important truth: Jesus should look like you.
Why? Because you may be the only Jesus someone ever sees.
So again, we ask ourselves: What does your face look like? When others encounter you, do they see patience or impatience? Mercy or judgment? Compassion or criticism? When you give, forgive, and love, you reflect Christ to a world desperately searching for Him.
Today, ask God to shape not only your actions, but your expression, your posture, your presence. May your face tell the story of a Savior who welcomes, forgives, and loves without condition.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to see others the way You see them. Remove judgment from my heart and replace it with compassion. Let my face, my words, and my actions reflect Your love. May others see You when they see me. Amen.