"Handle Your Own Business"

Motivations from the Heart of Paula Williams-Gaillard

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5 (KJV)

My husband and I were at the neighborhood gas station this morning when I noticed a young lady, who after pumping her gas, left her gas tank door opened with the top hanging out. I quickly summoned my husband who was pumping our gas to stop the young lady. Well after yelling about 3 or 4 times for her to stop (guess she had the music loud) she did and her son got out of the car and screwed the cap back on and closed the door. As she drove off I told my husband “she didn’t even look our way or opened her mouth to say thank you.”

After I drove no more than a ½ block away, I heard a noise from the back of the car. When I looked in the side view mirror, I saw..…guess what…..our gas cap fly off the car onto the side of the road….in his haste to stop the young lady, hubby forgot to put the top on and close our tank’s door! All I could do was laugh and I told him, “you know I’m gon’ write about this right?!!!! That’s when I heard….YOU COULDN’T EVEN HANDLE YOUR OWN BUSINESS! I was rebuked in my spirit and Holy Spirit said:

1. What was your real motive? You told her about the door, so what if she didn’t say thank you…WHAT…..were you looking for some praise or something?
2. When you look at someone else’ shortcomings or what they do or don’t do, be careful because you don’t have it all together yourself!

WOW….Perfect Patty isn’t perfect at all….FORGIVE ME FATHER!!!!!!!!

I wrote a motivation not long ago entitled “What’s Your Motive” and it asks: why do we do the things we do? Do we do things out of sheer love and concern for others or do we look for a pat on the back…..recognition……fame or glory? And why…….myself included…but why are we so quick to look at what someone is doing or not doing when we ourselves don’t do it…….HYPOCRITE (Matthew 7:5)!

I looked on line and here’s a definition I found for hypocrite: “a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives” (www.thefreedictionary.com). There’s that word again MOTIVE!

People of God we have to LOVE one another! It is our duty….our obligation to edify and lift up one another and not be a stumbling block (Romans Chapter 14). We should be willing to restore (Galatians 1:1) even if they do fall…..and our speech….our words should always “minister Grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29)!

Galatians 6:10 (NIV) says “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers!

It is my Prayer today that WE not look at others in judgment but walk in Love towards ALL PEOPLE! Remember: Love is patient….kind…does not envy….does not boast…it is not proud….not rude….not self-seeking….not easily angered….it keeps no record of wrongs….does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth….it always protects…always trusts…always hopes….always perseveres...Love never fails...
I Corinthians 13:1-8 (NIV)

You are already Blessed so be Encouraged…..
Love ya,
Paula
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