King David was “a man after God’s own heart.” God had promised him that his kingdom would last forever, through the Messiah which would come from his line. In today’s first reading from 2 Samuel 7, David asks for God’s blessing upon him and his house. In the Gospel reading from Mark 4, Jesus tells the disciples to “Take care what you hear.”
“The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” Scary stuff, if you ask me. It reminds me of the old saying: We want justice for everyone else and mercy for ourselves. What is this “measure with which you measure?” How big is that measuring stick you use on other people? I know that in my case, it is pretty big. I tend to expect a lot from others. Probably too much. And I like to think that I expect a lot from myself. But then reality rears its ugly head.
While I condemn others for certain offenses, I am far too often guilty of these very same things. Oh surely, I think, God will have mercy on me. He knows my flaws and weaknesses and wounds. And yet I leave no allowance in others for flaws, weaknesses and wounds. In the end, this will come back to bite me. Since I expect God to cut waaaay back on His measuring stick for me, perhaps it is time I shorten my measuring stick for others.
Father, teach us mercy and compassion. Help us to shorten our measuring sticks for others, that you may shorten your measuring stick for us. Amen.
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