5.5 Let the Lord be the Judge

Matthew 13:28 The slaves said to him, "Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' 29 "But he said, "No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

It is amazing to see how patient the Lord is, and how loving towards His children. When the slaves asked if they should gather up the tares, His response was no. Why? Because the Lord didn’t want to lose any of His own in the process.

The Lord is patient, not willing that any should perish. He is also the one who will judge. Too often, I fear, we try to do His job. We try to convict others sin, or judge that others are not truly His. we try to round ‘em up and move ‘em out. Let the Lord be the Judge – that’s His job, not ours.

Our job is to be faithful to Him, to encourage growth in others, to sow seed, to love those who don’t know the Lord, and to long for heaven and point others there.

Prayer prompts and discussion starters:

• Ask God to give you patience to wait for Him.
• Plead for a heart of mercy rather than one of judgment.
• Ask God to give you a heart for those that don’t know Him.
• Thank God for His tremendous patience towards you. Ask for the same heart towards others.