Calculating hydration percentage of sourdough starter

I was asked by a member in facebook group Thermomix Fervent Thermist in a post when I posted up my sourdough bread Thermomix recipe, can't remember which recipe it was, the member asked me about what percentage is my sourdough starter..... frankly speaking, I have no idea of what she meant, not until I searched for the word "hydration percentage" of sourdough starter.

After finished reading two articles, I still don't quite get what they meant about 1 cup of flour 1/4 cup of water.... and how this percentage come out of.

Well today, I put into action, read a few more posts about percentage of hydration level of a sourdough starter. Many still explained in cups and pounds, when I started making sourdough was all about grams, and now a Thermomix user, in grams too.

Not that hard to understand though, just need a little time to figure it out the formula laaah!

Here it is, how to calculate the percentage [Y%] of hydration level of your sourdough starter by grams.

Use a calculator to help you key in:
[Amount of water] divide [Amount of flour] = Z

THEN

Z x 100 = Y% [percentage of the hydration level]

So what is the hydration percentage for the sourdough I am using?

Joyful Jane sourdough starter is being fed each time with 30g of water, 50g of flour:
using a calculator to help you key in:

30 ÷ 50 = 0.6

0.6 x 100 = 60

hence the answer is  60% hydration

According to

Bakers percentage/hydration simple percentage volumetric equivalence chart

For 60% hydration sourdough starter, the measurement of solid ingredients will be
60% Hydration Sourdough Starter | 63% Flour | 38% Water | 4 cups of flour |1.5 cup of water

Rekindle first love for God

Just came back from camp, SCF family camp was held at Bentong Eco Dusun 'Resort', this resort is in 'Army' style kind of resort. 

I love this place though, nothing is better than when you are surrounding by trees and trees and trees. 

No coverage or I should say weak phone reception, no wifi, no air-con even in hall, it's a heaven to busy people (I suppose). Afternoons were super hot, these were the time they went for 'obstacle race', 'Bamboo Raft Building' and 'Jungle Walk' activities. 

There were rain in both of the afternoons, started at about 4pm, it was the end time of all activities, so thankful for the rains, it gave us a very cooling nights.

A very different camp to me as compared  to those camps I have attended, the first difference was due to the hurt of left knee ligaments in late February, it is still not fully recovered, hence I was not able to join all outdoor activities (kinda boring...). All I did was staying indoor, taking photos, praise and worship, and listening to sermons.

5 sermons in total, these messages have just given me a booster to rekindle my first love to God. Apart from this wonderful messages, God did a wonderful work in me. 

On the first night, a few of brothers and sisters were given chance after a worship session to shared our experience with God during the worship time. Some have seen vision, some have heard God spoken to them. And some felt God's presence. 

I stepped out to share my experience with God. During my low time, I stopped praying, I stopped reading Bible, I stopped talking to God, I knew He is love, I knew He will not forsake me, I knew He has a plan for me, I knew that He has his perfect time to raise me up again (I know I am being selfish by pushing all responsibility to God.) I then learned to know when one is so low, they are also very weak despite of knowing God's greatness and faithfulness, they don't even have the strength to even call for God's help. This experience has helped me to right my wrong mind set, I thought it is merely just the matter of one's decision, I thought it is merely just a simple action of 'fall and stand up again to keep going' thing; I was so wrong, God put me in this situation to allow myself to 'see', not as what I thought. 

During low time, keep serving Him is the only connection I had had with God. And I know it is something I can not and should not 'cut away', and so I keep serving. And I praise Him, He has been with me to walk through this low time, He has been teaching patiently about His grace, love and faithfulness. 

I also confessed in the congregation about the sin of being prideful. This has been my lesson to improve to becoming a person with a humble heart. I confessed that I may be seen outwardly a humble lady, but inside me I am prideful, please don't misunderstood me a person of hypocrite, I am not, I am just in the progress of changing and moulding. 

And then there was something very very special on the second night, after night service, some went back to dorm, some chose to spend some time with one another, Elaine and I didn't want to go to bed, we had a chat in the hall, where praise and worship team was practising pieces for tomorrow service. 

While I was talking, I had a burp, extra ordinary burp, I felt very painful in my chest, and it passed to armpit, and went to my right hand. The breath of the burp smelled badly, Elaine told me it wasn't normal, and so she prayed for me.

More burps after the prayer, and I had a feeling of 'vomiting', Elaine hurried to get me a plastic bag, I grabbed some tissues sat down immediately. the pain of the chest still there, I kept burping, and I felt there were more and more saliva gather in my mouth, and it was very thick and 'creamy' or I should say slime. 

I had to spit them out, and it was very slimy, I find it hard just to spit and cut the slime, instead, I had to use tissue to 'pinch' in order to break it. This actions repeated a few times, until the 'slimy saliva' stopped forming. I had some dry coughs, and burps at the same time. 

This delivery took place out of my expectation. And I felt God's power, and experience this, nothing unholy can stand in the presence of a holy God. 

A big Amen to this awesome work of God. 

God's love can reach any person in any sin, and it stretches from eternity past to eternity future. It takes us into the very presence of God and sits us on His throne. John Mac Arthur, The New Testament Commentary

 And now, I am not knowing 'God is love' in theory, but personally experience God's love in length, width, height and depth. 

Mr. Lim Kit Siang

I am so thankful for Mr. Lim Kit Siang, he has never give up protest for righteousness despite being a lonely voice in parliament.

A series of videos posted in youtube.com "A Malaysia Dream Lim Kit Siang" helped me to understand him more.

A Malaysia Dream Lim Kit Siang part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzWTfXvL2Nw
A Malaysia Dream Lim Kit Siang part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpHeeEHkJwI
A Malaysia Dream Lim Kit Siang part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn_XMAi9RfM
A Malaysia Dream Lim Kit Siang part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJPQ7hvSxrI

Lim Kit Siang official site

A Malaysian Malaysia, A Malaysia for all!

Packing system

Useful Tips for backpacker, how to have a comfortable carrying, here it is explain all.

2nd hand blessing

While I was enjoying my blessing from someone, and there he said: " This is 2nd hand blessing, you should ask for 1st hand blessing!"

I put no blame to him, It was my fault, yes, it is still, as I used to tell my friends this: "God will bless you in order you to bless me." Can you see the contradiction？ God will bless me, and God bless them in order to bless me, and yet why shouldn't I ask God to bless me directly? ....

I didn't know how to reply him for this at that moment, this thought has been constantly with me lately, not to question God why didn't He bless me direct, not to feel unhappy about this '2nd hand blessing', but to get a better way of telling people around me.

Here it is:
A few puzzling things about blessing, does size matter? Does weight matter? Does time matter? Does quantity matter？Does the procedure matter? Does the source matter?

Remembering of 'five loaves two fish', were there 5 thousands of people receiving Lord's 2nd hand blessing? Aren't God's blessings nourishes all of us? And I thought the precious is to give thanks to God's blessing in each little incident, not give thanks to God's blessing for big or small, soon or later.

Hence, I would like to tell this friend that I actually enjoying God's blessing regardless small or big, first or later, because there is no such thing as '2nd hand blessing', I would never have thought of using this word to describe my blessings, but receive with a thankful heart instead.

再一次的机会！

三魂不见七魄的主日，这个星期天实在把我吓得七彩！

这阵子我老是迟睡，一直以为我的身体应付的了，忙这个，玩那个，做这个，拖那个的，结果搞到最后一分钟把全部杀青，到了星期六早上教课，下午赶去出席‘工作坊’直到5时，主日敬拜赞美练习，8时回到家吃晚餐，歇一会，回到家上网听歌扒谱，做完后还要预备‘国度儿童主日课程，直到的凌晨两点多才能就寝。

早上七点闹钟响了！ 我想：‘还早，调至八时再继续睡。’

。。。

‘啊！好热！’ 突然我整个人跳了起来，赶忙查看为什么电话闹钟没响？吖，原来没电了，哎呀呀！惨了！为什么没人打电给我？？（心想有谁会呢？无聊的问题！）跑出房间看墙钟已经是10点40分了！！

不断的想着：“怎么办？？ 没人斯琴。。。有谁可以呢？年轻人都去了假期营会，应该没有人可以代我了，怎么办？？主啊！真对不起，我真不配你原谅，我真的错了！”

飞快的往教会去，路途中我不断的认罪，向上帝求原谅我的不是。这个时候只能直接去国度儿童主日那儿了，大堂已经结束敬拜赞美了，非常非常，真的非常颓丧，连自己都不能原谅自己睡迟的错误，今天是主日，又是我斯琴，怎么可以那么没有责任感？太对不起上帝，对不起教会对我的信任。

虽然从家到教会的路途只5分钟（我开得相当快!),感觉真的很难过。。。

到达梦工场的大门，看见礼易，连忙跑去向他诉说我干的事情，还叫他打听刚才没人斯琴的敬拜赞美如何进行。

他用莫名其妙的样子看着我，我也莫名其妙的想：“为什么这个样子？”

然后他说：“什么？现在才9点50分。”


我脸上的表情和赶快回车的动作和我要喊出来：“啊！” 的一声比闪电来得快十倍！

连忙又开着车子飞过去大堂。

这个路程又是一段让我有很长远的感觉，一路上又哭又笑的不断感谢上帝再给我一次机会，不知为什么地。。。我看了车上的电子钟一下，“哎哟哟，为什么现在才看到这个！！！”

这是一个怎么样的主日呢？太可怕了！


我学到，必须要让这一天精精神神的来到主的殿，服侍必须带着敬畏的心，心灵与诚实敬拜（服侍）祂。


感谢上帝的教导，我不会再犯这个错误。

I am convinced

Have been long long time, I didn't want to get back to the praying business, I really meant praying, not just pray pray. Thanks to Cynthia that she mentioned about this sermon in Closed Friend group, it is a sharing that I treasure and appreciate much, and also thankful for God for this perfect timing.

I felt like I getting a 'It's enough!' kind of response from God. May be you don't understand what I am trying to say.... it took me quite awhile and a journey to walk into this 'valley', and I can't or indeed unwilling to climb up, or rather.... not convincing enough to rise up. Because I was convinced (by my own understanding) to stay in the valley, so I have got to be convinced (by my own conviction) in order to come out of it.


I am convinced.

"But every time God wants you to do something important for Him. He doesn't give you details because God will use not only the destination but the journey to train you how to hear His voice."

After listened to it many many times. I fell on my knee, and I told Him: "I was so wrong, I turned away from You and shut off my ear from your voice."

He doesn't give much details and He said: "I have ordered your steps I have determined your way and when you get there, the provision will be made for the next step, step by step by step by step."

I am convinced. 

He may not give you the details, but He is committed to get you to the process, and you have the courage tonight to take a step into the unknown, God has the power to perform the impossible.

I am convinced. 

He will be there when you get there, it will be there when you get there, the opportunity will be there when you get there, just keep on walking by faith, look on the other side of the mountain, God has a blessing!

I am convinced.  :)

Mirror mirror, who's the most beautiful person in the world?

Magazines, TV, movies, advertisements, friends... almost all things teach me what are those qualifications to be entitled as a beautiful person, I don't need it, I don't have the problem to judge oneself, I like to see beautiful things around me. 

My cousin shared this picture on her wall, and I wanted to know what was in her mind by sharing this pic, because she didn't write any caption for it. I saw people liked this pic, I read negative comments for this picture. 

Self acceptance makes you the most beautiful person in the world.  ~ Jane Lee

AN INTERVIEW WITH GOD -THE ORIGINAL HD

SEEDS - Footstool Players

Went for a sketch play (skit play) called 'Seeds' performed by Footstool Players at DUMC PJ. A short description on Seeds: 

In this special tenth anniversary production, Footstool Players revisits some of your favourite sketches from their earliest years, as well as some brand-new material. It's a delightful bagful of seeds - stories which, when planted in your heart, will grow, yield a good harvest, and feed your soul.

Seeds is a collection of 8 sketches in the style of dramatised storytelling, featuring a mix of comedy and drama. The sketches are based on incidents in the life of Jesus, parables Jesus told, and modern-day parables, each illustrating a key biblical truth - a "seed".

It was short, un-boring, clear and sharp message in each sketch, and these 'seeds' have fallen on good soil, taken root, grown well and been fruitful in people's lives. Even I have been heard it many times, taught in many Sunday classes, am edifying through their ways of appreciation, Gab and I are blessed through these sketch performances.

And I appreciated much they played a short melody relevant to the story after each sketch, it's a little thought they have in the transition interval.

I would like to share the short but wonderful lyrics for each play in today's programme:

THE SEED AND THE SOILS - by Paul & Nicole Johnson | Based on Matthew 13:3-9
A farmer sowing his seed encounters various kinds of soils.

Song: Little Bitty Seeds | Written and performed by Dan Whittemore

I want the Word to grow in m y heart like seed on fertile ground/ Watered by the Spirit and touched by the sun and living like I should until the harvest comes/ I want the Word to grow in my heart like seed on fertile ground.  

THE BIG SPENDER - by Charles M Reese | Based on Matthew 18:21-35
A high-rolling big spender gets in trouble with his creditors.

Song: Let it Go | Written by Steve Taylor, Peter Furler & Jeff Frankenstein

Will you forgive, will you forget? / Will you live what you know? / He left his rights - will you leave yours? / You won't understand it / Let it go/ will you forgive, will you forget? / will you live what you know? / Beneath the cross, you hear his words: /  "Father, forgive them / And you know / You can't understand it / Let it go

THE TAH-PAU LUNCH - by Charles M Reese | Based on John 6:1-13
A little boy discovers that the ordinary can be miraculous in the right hands.

Song: Five Loaves And Two Fishes | Written and performed by Corrinne May

So take my five loaves and two fishes / Do with it as you will / I surrender / take my fears and my inhibitions/ all my burdens, my ambitions / You can use it all / No gift is too small

THE CRACKED POT - by Footstool Players, adapted from a folk tale | Based on 2 Corinthians 4:7-12,16-18
A cracked pot struggles with its flaw.

Song: I think of You | Written and performed by Laura Story

 'Cause it was you who paid the highest price for broken jars of clay / And you still choose to use my life for your glory displayed / and I think of you who shines with endless light through broken jars of clay / And I think of you redeeming every part of each day that you've made / And I think of you

THE PEASANT PRINCESS - by Charles M Reese 
A peasant girl unexpectedly becomes a princess when she marries a prince.

Song: I know who I am | Written by Israel Houghton & Chris Tomlin | Performed by Israel & New Breed (featuring Chris Tomlin)

I was Running and you found me / I was blinded and you gave me sight / You put a song of praise in me / I was broken and you healed me / I was dying and you gave me life / Lord, you are my identity / I know who I am / I am yours / and you are mine / Jesus, You are mine.

THE DEPENDABLE SON - by Charles M Reese | Based on Luke 15:11-32
A brother becomes bitter when his sibling gets what he doesn't deserve.

Song: Restore To Me | Written by Mac Powell & David Nasser | Performed by Mac Powell & Candi Pearson-Shelton

Restore to me the joy of your salvation / Restore to me the wonders of your love / Restore to me the joy of your salvation / Restore to me, restore to me

LAY DOWN YOUR BURDEN - by Charles M Reese | Based on John 4:1-42
A woman with a past discovers a future she never expected.

Song: Come Ll You Weary | Written by Dustin Kensrue & Thrice | Performed by Thrice

Come all you weary with your heavy loads / Lay down your burdens, find rest for you souls / 'Cause my yoke is easy, my burden is kind / I'll take yours upon me and you can take mine / Come all you weary / Come gather round near me / Find rest for your souls

GOD'S CHISEL - by Eddie James & Tommy Woodard A man finds out that growth can be a painful thing.

Song: Anyway | Written and performed by Nichole Nordeman

You who have begun this work will someday see / A portrait of the holiness you meant for me  / Every layer of mine hides a lovely design / It might take a little patience, it might take a little time / But you called me beautiful / When you saw my shame / And you placed me on the wall / Anyway. 

Old English Vs New English

Copied this from a facebook friend's status:



When I was 10 years old -


Rubber meant eraser
Gay meant happy
Straight meant linear
Making Out meant 'logical detection'
Cock meant rooster
Pussy meant cat
Stag meant a male deer
Prick meant a jab
Poke meant a nudge
Chick meant a baby hen
Screw meant a carpenter's implement 
A Tit was always for Tat!!


Damn! - English has changed so much!




Jane's note:


I asked Gab if he understands what cock means, he nodded his head and answer: 'penis', I corrected him and said:"No, it's a rooster!", then I continued to ask him the second question:"Do you know what does pussy mean?" 


He grinned and answered:"A cat." His grin has given me an answer that he does understand both old and new English well. 

To Repair Your Relationship Problems, First Heal Your Pride

By LEIGH PRETNAR COUSINS, MS

Here’s a lesson I learned as a tutor: When kids feel bad about themselves, they don’t learn well.
Instead, they spend their mental energies hating the subject, being defensive, avoiding the work, making up excuses, etc.
The very same thing happens with adults. When a person feels failed or embarrassed or hurt, his mental energies automatically flow towards escaping or relieving those bad feelings.
Relationship change requires facing the problem squarely, with lots of energy, clarity, bravery and generosity. But if your pride is in tatters, you won’t be able to do this. You’ll be too consumed with protecting your own injured Self.
Building and maintaining this positive self-image is a core psychological task. Essentially, the Self wants to believe two things:

• I am a “good” person
• I am in control of my life

Messages to the contrary result in uncomfortable cognitive dissonance, which the psyche seeks to reduce through rationalization, avoidance, or defensiveness.
Many therapies ask people to own their bad behavior and admit to their weaknesses. And of course, addressing these issues is important.
But, just like my students, who, the more they are chastised and embarrassed and made to feel failed, try less hard and hate school more, adults resist putting themselves in postures which make them feel failed and diminished.
No one wants to feel “I am a NOT a good person,” or “I am NOT in control of my life.” And so, they rationalize. The test was unfair, the class is boring…my partner doesn’t understand me, the relationship doesn’t meet my needs, my lover is the one with the problems…
I am successful with my students because I focus on their strengths and I help them restore their positive self-image and realize their potential.
Similarly, if you are in a troubled relationship, you must care for your pride.

• Spend time with friends who build you up (but who don’t put your partner down).
• Keep up activities that give you a sense of pride and accomplishment (school, volunteer work, spending time with your kids, etc).
• Take the high road. Behave honorably and generously with your partner.
• Own your mistakes, yes, but don’t wallow in what a terrible, weak person you are.
• Try to understand your actions and your intentions. Keeping a journal can help.
• Avoid behaviors that will make you feel worse in the long run (lying, cheating, spitefulness, etc).
• Don’t characterize yourself as a victim, a loser, a failure. Focus on your strengths.
• Get active and be responsible about the relationship problem. Do something about it! Seek counseling or therapy. Be brave and dignified enough to ask for assistance.

"Be Happy: A little Book to Help You Live a Happy Life"

It was shared by a friend in her facebook wall post, a wonderful video clips with soothing music.

The illustrations and the captions are from the book "Be Happy: A little Book to Help You Live a Happy Life" (2007) by Monica Sheehan.The music is "Cuore di Sabbia" (Sand Heart) by Pasquale Catalano, from the soundtrack of the movie "Mine Vaganti" (2010)(Loose Cannons) directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

This video starts with the word 'Be Happy"...
Show up
Follow your heart

Find a new perspective
Have a sense of wonder...
Find people you love...
Set goals
Help others
Dance
Pamper yourself...
Face your fears...
Go to a museum
Exercise
Limit television
Get in touch with nature
Lighten up
Get a good night's sleep
Read books
Buy yourself flowers
Don't compare yourself with others
Don't beat yourself up
Be open to new ideas
Don't focus on negative thoughts...
...Focus on creating what you desire
Make time just to have fun
Keep the romance in your life
Make a gratitude list
Love your Mother Earth
Want what you have
Be true to yourself

PASS THE BISCUITS

An email received:


I think that we all agree with this one especially the last line!!!  .... 

PASS THE BISCUITS 

  
When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then.  And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.  On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad.  I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!  Yet all my dad did was reach for his Biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. 
  
I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits.  And I'll never forget what he said:  "Honey, I love burned biscuits." 
  
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.  He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your momma put in a long hard day at work today and she's real tired.   And besides... a burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!" 
  
You know, life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people.   I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.  What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. 
  
So...please pass me a biscuit. And yes, the burned one will do just fine!   And please pass this along to someone who has enriched your life... I just did! 
  
Life is too short to wake up with regrets... Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't. 
  
ENJOY LIFE NOW - IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!! 

闲读记

星期六的傍晚，正等待着Bobo 和 文华 结束他们的吉他课，


有点超时了。。。点击从前略读过的《张小娴经典语录100句》，


再读一遍，


终于找到一句我不太同意的： 


“抛弃别人总比被人抛弃好过一点，


所谓离别，总是一个走，一个留下​，


走的那个当然比不上留下的那一个痛苦。” 




也许是，但是不全然。


 因为我觉得抛弃别人的那个，


往往必须左藏右躲，好不痛苦！至于那​个被抛弃的，




可以学习好好过日子，做个更好的人，


即使遇见那个抛​弃的也倘然无惧。

A HIKER'S TEN COMMANDMENTS

A HIKER'S TEN COMMANDMENTS   is compiled by Johnnie Lim, this doc is being shared by him in Southern Hikers facebook group. 

A HIKER'S TEN COMMANDMENTS  

1. Have a good rest on the eve of the event(that means no late night, sleep early)
2. Be on Time at the meet up point.(not fair to others who came early)
3. Do not litter.What you take up remember to bring them down(and dispose at proper dustbin)
4. Do not chop down young tree, if you need a walking stick look for a dead tree(nature conservation )
5. Think safety- no super hero stuff(dont endanger your life and that of others)
6. Look out for one another(particularly those who are new)
7. Listen to good advice from experience hikers
8. Never go out alone.(even for experience hikers)-you will never know what can happen
9. Come prepared and well equipped(enough drinking water, proper hiking shoes-that means no crocks or slippers)
10. Do not overestimate yourself.(know your limit)
11. ©johnnie lim

Provocative Bible Verses: Judge Not Lest You Be Judged

I read this article years ago, and following it's comments, recently came back with one comment which gave a very good insight, would like to share with all of you. Here is the original article then followed by the comment that I mentioned.

Provocative Bible Verses: Judge Not Lest You Be Judged

Posted: April 6, 2009 by Dan Lacich in forgiveness, loving your neighbor, Uncategorized
Tags: hypocrisy, judge not, judging others, log in your own eye, Matthew 7, Matthew 7:1, Sin

33

It may be the most often quoted and yet most misunderstood verse in the whole Bible. People who have never even cracked open a Bible have heard and quoted this verse. “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” Matthew 7:1

Usually that verse is used like a hammer to immediately stop any discussion about the rightness or wrongness of a persons behavior. Almost invariably if someone claims that a certain action or behavior is wrong, someone will say, “But Jesus said we are not to judge anyone”. The clear implication is that we can never say if some behavior is sin or not because we are not to judge. Sometimes these words are shouted out in anger and rage, “You can’t judge me!”.

What is possibly more amazing than the fact that so many people quote this verse and the concept of not judging, is that so many people could get the real meaning so completely wrong. This is especially true since the context makes it clear what Jesus meant by these words. When Jesus said that we should not judge unless we be judged also, he was not saying that we are to never judge if behavior is sin or not. What he was doing was giving us a caution to make sure that we are willing to be judged by the same standard of judgment. This verse is not a warning against judging an action. It is a warning against self deception and hypocrisy.

The way we know this is the same way that we usually know what the Bible teaches. We look at the context. The verse that immediately follow helps explain what Jesus was saying. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:2 In other words, if you are going to say that what someone else is doing is wrong then you better be prepared to be judged by the same standard. If you don’t want your life to be scrutinized, then don’t judge others. If you can stand the scrutiny then go ahead. Think of Al Gore telling us that we need to cut down our energy use in order to save the planet and then finding out that he has three large homes and the carbon footprint of Godzilla. He needed to read this verse first.

Just in case we still have not figured out that this is not a complete prohibition on judging behavior, the next few verses make it even more clear.

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, 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 brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5

Before you ever start to tell someone else what is wrong with their life, make sure you take a good look at your own life first. But notice, Jesus does not say, take the log out of your own eye and don’t say anything about the speck in the others persons eye. That would be the result of never judging anyone about anything. Instead Jesus says that after you take care of your own stuff, then go and help your brother. So you are to help then with their issue but only once you have done a personal spiritual check to make sure that you are right with God.

We need to see this as a matter of helping someone, not beating them down. Jesus used the example of having something in your eye. In order to get it out, you often need the help of someone else to see it and remove it. When we see something wrong in the life of a friend we need to point it out and help them deal with it. When we do that, we are serving them, not condemning them. What this is really all about is determining if something is right or wrong behavior, sin or not sin. We can and should do that with a loving attitude and not a condemning, superior, hypocritical attitude. Pointing out destructive behavior in another person is actually an incredible and brave way to love your neighbor. We understand this when the situation becomes so serious as to require and intervention. How much more loving would it be to step in long before it got so serious?

There are a couple of final reasons why this verse cannot mean that we are never to judge if what a person does is right or wrong. First, Jesus makes it very clear that we are to forgive people when they sin against us. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray that God would forgive us as we forgive others. Well in order to forgive someone, you have to first, “judge” that they have done something wrong. The very act of forgiveness that Jesus teaches so clearly, requires that we identify some behavior as wrong. To fail to judge it as wrong or sinful in the first place, makes it impossible to forgive.

Secondly, the Bible is filled with admonitions that we avoid evil, flee from temptation, cling to what is good and lovely. In order to do that, we have to make judgment calls. We have to decide that one thing is good and another is not. We make these decisions all that time as a matter of course in life. We do it if we are a follower of Jesus or not. Everyone has somethings that they decide are right to to and others that are not. Every society and culture has these things and every member of those cultures has to think and decide, has to judge what behaviors fit the standard.

Bursting forth with the words, “judge not”, should in no way intimidate anyone from deciding if something is sinful or not. If anything slows us down it should be the warning from Jesus that we not be hypocrites who are unable or unwilling to live according to that same standard.

Dave P says:

July 5, 2011 at 4:06 pm

Good sermon. For Matt from February, I say: I was once like you, indeed I led people who speak as you speak, and they looked up to me as I led them away from the Holy One. Hope then, the rest of you, in him, because I stand before you a humble Believer and a staunch Creationist today.

As for the sermon, long have I thought of this, as a Jew (Messianic), and it strikes me as similar to the letter to the church in 1st Corinthians 5, around verse 12 I think, wherein we see some measure of admonishment that Paul has with the fledgling church, to stop their judging everyone under the Sun, and focus like true Jews should, keeping in mind the many, many times the Torah the law of God is given to purge the land of evil, seeing here the spiritual reasons for that law, the ways in which it applies to us as individuals, using Israel as a giant symbol for the ever-conflicted self. Israel was constantly, constantly purging itself of evil, and they never could do it quite right despite God’s many admonishments and interventions, much to the failure of Israel, but not to the failure of the law itself, for God has still accomplished what He set out to do — show the world what sin is, and what it does.

A friend of mine, however, recently interpreted this fine sermon of Dan’s as stating, falsely in light of 1st Corinthians 5 and the rest of the earlier Bible, that God never tells us who to judge, but only how to judge. I think it is worthy of note to state that not only is context key as it always is, but also the greater context is consistent throughout the Bible and worth keeping in mind when reading virtually any verse at all — that God has a specific purpose in bringing out and encouraging fellowship among believers in a fallen world, and this purpose is that we would be one, united in holiness, helping one other be holy, and shining with the light of God in this world that we were once a contributor to its deep darkness. Jesus prayed for that, in John 17, and here in Matthew 7 he tells us that we must admonish our brothers, and help them. Jesus does not say fix your own problems and leave everyone else alone, no, he then says help your otherwise seeing brother with his minor problem, once you can judge sin properly, especially anything that causes blindness of sin — the log analogy. If you have a 2×4 in your eye, you are assuredly not going to be using that eye for seeing, yes? You may even need your brother with the spec, who can at least see mostly, to help you with that. This is the allusion to helping, and contrary to Matt’s earlier reply, Jesus never says first deal with your spec, then deal with your brother’s log. No, we all have eyes full of the dust of this world, which leads us so very often to the statements in Romans 7 — “I find that I do what I hate, and I do not do what I love, what a wretched man am I — who will save me from the body of death!” But thanks be to Jesus Christ, because also in that chapter, “If I sin, it is not I who sins, but sin that is living in me.” We struggle, in this world, and we have a face full of specs that get in the way, from the dust from this world and from ourselves. To claim perfection is to claim God is a liar, but if we can help each other with the logs in our eyes (how are we to do this ourselves?? If my brother was struggling with his spec, in Jesus’ illustration, am I not to struggle magnitude more with my log? But God often guides brothers to help us).

Overall, once you can be alleviated of what which causes blindness, you are not only able to see, but admonished to put that sight to good use.