THE STORY OF JESUS: Matthew 7:1-6
“The speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and … the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)
Everyone has their own issues, which clouds how they see others issues.
How can we judge others, when we ourselves are guilty in our own way.
Our tendency is to see others sins as bigger than ours.
Jesus describes the other persons issue as a ‘speck’; our issue is a ‘plank’.
This does not mean I am worse than others.
My ‘plank’ is only a ‘speck’ to someone else… and vice versa.
In other words, each one of us is responsible for our own sin and guilt.
When we judge others, we are actually exposing our own shame.
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” (Romans 2:1)
Jesus came to rescue and restore sinners, but my sin is my primary need and focus.
To not judge others does not mean we are not to be discerning of good and evil, right and wrong.
We can and must discern with wisdom what is sacred and precious, and what is for dogs and pigs.
But discernment is different from judgment; my focus ought to be on my response and behavior.
How can I judge you, I’ve got more than enough stuff to figure out in myself… and you do too.
Maybe instead of judging you, I can join you in the tough work of working on our own planks.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, only You have a right to judge. Help me to see that all of us have our own issues, and that You will help each one of us deal with our own planks.