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Consider This: The Biggest Problem Is Not Out There!



In a time when everyone has a vocal opinion on everything and judgment is everywhere, maybe we need to reconsider the words of Jesus.

“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” (Matthew 7:3-5). 

Here are two observations to consider.

First, when we look for what others are doing wrong, we are starting in the wrong place.  “Take the log out of your eye” is the first move.  Start with yourself!  It is easy to judge others and make excuses for ourselves.  Yet, that is completely backwards!

If we are honest, we never get past making ourselves better.  There is always more to do.  This, then, leaves very little time to point out the faults of others.  As Thomas a Kempis once said, “Do not be angry that you cannot make others as you would wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be”.  

Now, someone is thinking, “Sometimes we must correct one another.  What about that?”  That leads to our second observation.

Jesus says that if you start with yourself, “then you will see clearly” to correct your brother.  In other words, you will have the right tone and approach.  When you remember the many ways you fail and fall short, you will correct others with care, love, and gentleness.  The goal will become helping rather than straightening someone out! 

It is not that we cannot make judgments.  It is the way we do it that needs our attention.  We cannot be self-righteous, rude, or hypocritical.  We must remember that God’s grace is the only hope we have.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

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