“‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.'” Matt 7:3-5 (NIV)
We tend to judge others by a different standard than we judge ourselves. When we look at ourselves, we tend to use a filtered lens that makes us look pretty good. When we look at others, we tend to utilize the most powerful microscope to examine their lives. We can be rather selective by choosing someone who will make us look good.
The truth is, everyone looks good from a distance. Proximity affects accuracy. Jesus is giving us a new lens to view ourselves and others. Instead of bypassing the reality of a massive plank in our own eye in order to identify the speck of sawdust in our brother’s eye, Jesus wants us to examine our own life first.
- “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalms 51:3 (NIV)
- “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips…'” Isaiah 6:5 (NIV)
- “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (NIV)
Introspection paves the way for realization of God’s impartation of grace in which we live and breathe. God already knows about the plank. Be quick to remove it and be slow to critique the speck in your brother’s eye.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor