Wow. I pray you all read the first reading today.

Paul says, “Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.” Then a few lines later he basically says if eating meat causes his brother to sin, he just won’t eat meat anymore.

Man, I can’t get over Paul sometimes.

I wrote in my journal this morning, “Do I love that much?” Because if I’m honest, I can get pretty wrapped up in whether I’m right. I can rely on what I know, what I think, and what I can figure out on my own. And sometimes being right becomes more important to me than loving the person in front of me.

Then Jesus closes the Gospel with, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

That really ties it together for me. What measure am I using with other people? Am I measuring them by whether they are right or wrong, whether they agree with me, whether they deserve something from me? Or am I measuring with mercy, generosity and love?

Paul’s willing to give up meat forever for his brother. I don’t know that I love that well yet.

There is a lot here for me to unpack today. Lord, give me the humility to rely less on myself and the grace to be generous in the measure I use with others.

I pray each of you receives the grace you need today.

Keep up the good fight.

I’m praying for you. Please pray for me.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:1-7, 11-13; Luke 6:27-38