when YOU should come first

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Leviticus 9:7-10:20. Moses is giving instructions to Aaron and his sons on presenting offerings. He says to offer them first for themselves, and then for everyone else. This is good advice for us, too.

Tolstoy very wisely said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world. No one thinks of changing himself."

We have a natural habit of making excuses for our own sins and giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt... but criticizing everyone else for their sins and always watching to see what they'll do wrong. We need to reverse this. Give others the benefit of the doubt... and keep a close eye on our own sins, to stomp them out.

This is when WE should come first. When we're dealing with sin. Deal with the log in your eye, and then you'll see well enough to help your neighbor to remove the speck in theirs. Hint: it might take you awhile to get rid of that log.

God, thanks for teaching us when we SHOULD come first.