“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5
If Cranky Reverend still had hair, this would be the ornament for CR. Raise your hand if you would rather find a good book or three and take a seat in a coffee shop somewhere and immerse yourself in reading for about 12 hours every day. Cranky Reverend loves to read in coffee shops. They have all the amenities CR needs: coffee, bathrooms, chairs, anonymity. You see, CR is really an introvert, though many might find that hard to believe. Of course, maybe you don’t find that hard to believe. Wait, let me ask my one friend. OK, so my one friend told me to get over myself and to go back to reading. No wonder CR has no friends.
The Gospel writer Matthew packs in so much in this last bit of the Sermon on the Mount. There are gems in here like “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged”, and “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?”, and “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you”, and “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven”. Even Thomas Jefferson identified the Sermon on the Mount along with the Ten Commandments as the basis of the moral principles on which the USA should be founded.
Ultimately, this Cranky Reverend believes one of the most difficult commands of Jesus involves not judging others. One thing social media has provided so many people is a platform to allow anonymous people to pass judgment upon their brothers and sisters based on one or two comments they make on social media. Cranky Reverend spends many Sundays’ trying to convince CR’s congregation not to look for the worst in people, but always look for the best in people – and this is the higher calling, and the most difficult calling, especially in 21st century America.
Following the presidential election of 2024, people are so afraid of the future they are taking their fears and anger out on each other – people they have never met – strangers who disagree with them politically, religiously, and socially. It is like a shooting gallery where everyone is the target, and everyone is the shooter. And believe it or not, some of these are people who are commenting on social media sites developed by leaders in the church.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you”, and “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven”. Even if you mention this scripture and teaching by Jesus to those who are most angry, they will come up with some comment like “Oh, so you think you are better than others”. CR does not think CR is better than other people. CR is, however called to live a “better way” based on the teachings of Jesus. This Cranky Reverend knows quoting scripture will not calm down the fears that people have right now, but at least the scripture can inform CR’s reactions to their fears.
Pastor Dave
The "Frowning Glory" 
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