Mind Your Own Sin & a Giveaway :-)

Tuesday Update: Hey all! Wanted to be sure to direct you over to our Proverbs 31 President’s blog. Lysa TerKeurst has redesigned her blog and is launching it by having a week of fun giveaways. So….I have three giveaways this week, she has even more.  All of this means more chances for you to win! So, once you are done entering on my site, then hop over to her site by clicking here. Summer fun!

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I’m thrilled you’ve joined us, whether you’ve made your way here via today’s Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today devotion or as a regular cyber sister. Today, we’ve got some thinkin’, searchin’ and chattin’ to do. However, if you haven’t read the devotion yet, you’ll need to so you can catch up with the rest of us. To do so, click here.

And please stop by often this week. We are having three, yes three, different giveaways, one especially for Father’s Day.

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I love the story of Laurel and her Bible. Not only  did her action that day enable her cancer to be caught early enough for treatment, but it also serves as an example to the rest of us of how we should conduct or spiritual and relational lives.

So often when we are embedded in a relationship challenge, (and let’s just be up front and honest gals, we ALL have them), we can only see our side of the story. We are quick to size up the situation, defending our position and justifying our actions.

And we spend oodles of time fretting over the actions of others; letting our hearts idle in “its not fair” mode and our emotions tumultuously churn as over and over again we replay the situation on our minds.

He did this.

She said that.

What they decided wasn’t fair or godly.

I am right. They are wrong.

You got it, God?

Has that ever been the case with you?

It has with me. Waaaaaay too many times.

As mentioned in the devotion, during those times I have tried to retrain my mind to meander down a different path. I’ve purposed to take the advice I often give to my own kids. It isn’t something handed down to me by my parents. I never read it in a book or heard it in a sermon. It is just a phrase I blurted out in the heat of frustration when dealing with yet another sibling squable in our home a few years back…..

“Mind your own sin”

Simple phrase.

Powerful results.

When will we realize that we cannot control others’ behavior? That we can’t change the outcome of a situation? That the only thing we can control is our tongue (and only with God’s assistance)? And the only things we can ever change are our attitudes, actions and reactions?

Romans 12: 17-19 says:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord.”

If it is possible…..

as far as it depends on you…….

live at peace with everyone.

It isn’t always possible, but we can make sure  that when we are stuck in a trying relationship, we weigh our motives; we check our actions; we temper our reactions; and we accept the outcome.

We can behave in a manner that makes Jesus proud.

If, we mind our own sin.

Committing verses, such as the ones mentioned above, to our memory can be much like Laurel’s Bible, pressed to our hearts. It will help us to feel for any festering lumps of sin and stop the spread of its awful disease.

I want to give a Bible to one of you this week to help you do just that.

It is an English Standard Version personal size reference Bible in Tru Tone Mahogany. (Not quite sure what that all means, but it is a pretty burgundy soft cover Bible) It isn’t over-sized. It is in single column format (which I love!). It retails for $29.99. (Don’t worry. I didn’t spend our grocery money on it. I got it on a fabulous sale!) Click here for the description.

To be entered in the random drawing, just leave a comment on today’s topic. Or share with us a Bible verse that helps you focus on right behavior or helps you in relationship challenges. Or, if time is tight, simply state “I’m in!”

You have until midnight Tuesday, Pacific Time. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning.

Have a wonderful, Bible-pressing, week!

174 Comments

  1. I love the verse Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

  2. Man! God has really been speaking to my heart from the book of James recently. Powerful and convicting, constantly reminding me that I need HIS wisdom and righteousness. I’ve been so impatient in relationships with several different pessimistic seeming people lately. God just keeps bringing my heart and mind back to the truths of James…”pure religion and undefiled before God is…”, “if one does not bridle their tongue their religion is vain”, “a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways”, “let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord”, “love thy neighbor as thyself”, mans anger doesn’t work God’s righteousness, wisdom that is from above is first pure, peaceable, gentle…, lovingly He’s been convicting my heart of my own “widom and righteousness”. ugh! His looks entirely different. God sanctify this vessel for your glory!

  3. Thank you so much for your devotional today! You really hit the nail on the head for me. What a valuable lesson!

  4. “Commit your way to the Lord, and he will make your paths straight.” Our thoughts determine our paths.

    Also, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.”

    “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

    Reading God’s Word, changes us. His Word never returns void.

    I often hold my Bible to my heart, as I am in need of God’s help and guidance–his truth and grace.

  5. Thank you for that phrase! I feel like I say that in a roundabout way a zillion times each day with my children. It is also something I should say to myself as well. And I needed to hear that verse as I feel like I was responsible for stealing the peace in our home a few times today.

  6. A lesson well-timed. My husband of 6 1/2 years recently separated himself from me and our 2 young children. We both have ‘STUFF’ we need to face and work through but he has decided to go forward with divorce. As I hear my children cry for their dad, like salt in the wound, I am tempted to look at his errors instead of my own. Regardless of what the future holds, I know I need to deal with my issues. I refuse to go through this trial without coming out better on the other side. I know God is beside me when I am beside myself. Thank you for the reminder to examine my own words, actions, and heart.

  7. I needed to hear this so much today. I have struggled all day with a co-worker and a situation that I feel is unfair. I have been so frustrated with her attitude and her reactions toward me today. “Mind your own sin” is something I needed to be telling myself all day. I plan to write this down and keep it close so I can be reminded. Thank you for such a valuable insight!

  8. I’m in! I love reading your daily devotions and I certainly believe we all need to evaluate our own hearts when it comes to forgiveness. As hard as it is to forgive someboday when it’s our fault–it’s even harder to forgive when we’ve been wronged. But we have a BIG God–and He can do anything! We are certainly blessed!

  9. Thanks for the reminders of the the “battles” I’m facing with how I show my caring nature and thoughts and wishes for important people in my life. Somehow my sin keeps seeping through…may God grant me the grace to keep pressing on towards His kingdom.

  10. Wow, my toes sure hurt now. I needed to read that today and be reminded to “mind my own sin”.

  11. It is easier said than done. Being at peace with everyone. But thanks be to our God for changing us everyday from glory to glory. As we try our best to put into practice our faith daily. I thank the Lord for this ministry you have. Praying God will bless you more and more as you reach out to the world.

  12. Humility was the topic of the message at church yesterday. What better way to show humility than to look closely at one’s own sin and confess it. Thank you, Lord, for forgiveness.

  13. Wow! This devotion hit me hard on this day. I didn’t get to read it until early evening, and it’s a good thing, because I was poised and ready to attack! Self-righteousness was going to get me in big trouble this evening. Thanks for sharing this today!

  14. I love that – “Mind Your Own Sin.” Going to remember that one for sure. Last Monday Lynn Cowell talked about 1 Peter 3:10-12. I have been memorizing that one and am going to add the ones you mentioned today.

  15. Thank you so much for this story and lesson. It’s a lesson God has been working with me on for some months now. MY sin…mind MY own sin! I think this will be my new catch phrase in my own mind. I’m so guilty of minding everyone else’s. It’s time I work on MINE! Thank you and may you be blessed by your ministry.

  16. I am 77 years old and Iam still amazed at how God speaks to us thru His Word. having raised 3 boys and 2 girls, many times I found myself blaming others for my problems, as I grow older and wiser I can see God working in each situation to bring me closer to Him. God bless your ministry. Rheta

  17. What a blessing YOU are !!
    Prov 3:5,6
    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

  18. I absolutely LOVE the phrase “mind your own sin”! It’s like “mind your own business” and my sin is my business–or should be! And this reminded me that I need to tend to my own business of my own sin–something i’ve been sorely neglecting lately! But oh am i quick to mind other peoples’ sins??? You bet i am! And that’s a big sin right there! How sad that makes me! Cast out my sin, Lord, and cleanse me within… create in me a new heart and right spirit… I want to please YOU alone!!! I desire Your Word to be close to my heart–so close that it will pierce my heart when I sin against You!

  19. I’m rushing (you know that’s my normal) but just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your devotion at P31 today and your blog. Is. 40:31. I want to do more “waiting” and less “rushing.” Gotta keep up the strength for the second half of my life. :)

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