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a rather simple person. My wife has a different name for it, she calls it simpleton but it means the same, I think.
• I distinctly remember one time when she asked this question she caught me off guard and I reintroduced myself to her. Let me just say, I will never make that mistake again.
• Every so often, she will say in a voice loud enough for everybody in the house to hear, "Somebody in this house is getting to be very messy." The first time I heard this I went through the house looking for that "somebody" not knowing that it was me. At least I am somebody in this house, which is better than, "Who do you think you are?"
• It is important to put everything together and in context.
• Perhaps the most ridiculous example of this is people quoting the Bible. It always amazes me that those who claim the Bible is not really true, always cite the Bible to prove their point. Those who pick out fragments of the Bible to prove their point are rather pathetic.
• Who has not heard somebody quote Matthew 7:1? "Judge not, that ye be not judged." From that, they conclude that Jesus does not want us to judge anybody for anything. If they took the pains to read a few more verses they would find out that they are completely misunderstanding what Jesus is talking about.
• I have yet to hear somebody pull out Hebrews 12:6, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." It sort of sounds like judging to me.
• If somebody wants to excuse something they are doing, they will invariably pull some phrase out of the Bible, always out of context, and hide behind it. It would be like a two hundred pound man hiding behind a golf club thinking nobody can see him.
• When our grandchildren were younger, they thought if they closed their eyes, we could not see them. Just because they could not see did not mean we could not see. That is okay for small children but when it comes into adulthood, it is quite silly.
• Jesus also said, "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eyes; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:5).
• I have read my Bible over one hundred times throughout my life and I have learned one basic truth that goes along with this. True love always judges without being judgmental.
• Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His web site is www.jamessnyderministries.com.