"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11

(1) `Judge not, that ye may not be judged, (2) for in what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and in what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you. (3) `And why dost thou behold the mote that `is' in thy brother's eye, and the beam that `is' in thine own eye dost not consider? (4) or, how wilt thou say to thy brother, Suffer I may cast out the mote from thine eye, and lo, the beam `is' in thine own eye? (5) Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.


God will often see to it that we are treated the same way we treat others.

Jacob was a talented young man with great ability, but he had a serious fault: As a young man, he would lie, connive, and scheme to get his own way, without a thought for other people's feelings. He deceived his father Isaac into blessing him, instead of his brother Esau, with the birthright, an incident that split the family and caused much suffering and ill will, as Genesis 27 records.

God, of course, fully intended Jacob to have the birthright and could have worked it out in a way in which nobody got hurt. But this was not the first time that Jacob had used shrewdness to get his own way. Earlier, when Esau was about to collapse from lack of nourishment, Jacob gave Esau bread, a stew of lentils, and a drink in exchange for his birthright. Jacob had a secret sin and needed to be taught a lesson. He could not look at himself and see that he had this sin. He probably looked at himself as many today in business look at themselves; he probably thought he was being clever and wise.

During the next few years, Jacob reaped what he had sowed. His employer and future father-in-law, Laban, tricked him out of his wages and the wife for whom he had labored seven years. In addition, toward the end of his life, Jacob was also deceived by the use of a dead goat, just as he had deceived his father Isaac. Jacob's sons dipped Joseph's coat of many colors in the blood of a goat to convince their father that his favorite son, whom they had sold, was dead. Jacob spent many years in grief, deceived as he had deceived others.

— Martin G. Collins

To learn more, see:
The Law's Purpose and Intent



 

Topics:

Deceitfulness of Heart

Deception

Deception, Guarding against

Golden Rule

Jacob

Jacob's Temperament

Relationships

Relationships With People

Secret Sins

What Goes Around Comes Around




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