Logs and Specks

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 

(Matthew 7:3, NKJV)

Our daily interactions present us with many different experiences and perspectives, some which we are familiar with while others could be adventures.  This variety of experiences keep us learning new things while at the same time we hold on to what we already know.  Taking a perspective that life is a journey through which we learn many things, helps to make it more enriching.  At the same time, the experiences help us to determine what we like and what we do not like; what we consider acceptable and what is perceived as unacceptable in life.   Pondering on this, I found myself thinking of a child who watches a grown adult who is drunk and behaving in a manner which is different from others.  Grownups will try to keep the child away from the drunk individual but the child will not understand why.  To the displeasure of accompanying adults, the child could very well consider the individual funny and even be entertained by what others consider deplorable.  Keeping with the same child a few years later, he meets a drunkard very much like the one he met in childhood.  Now that the child has grown into a young adult and has learnt the vices of alcoholism, he will not find the drunk person funny but will despise him. What has the child learnt or experienced that makes him change his perspective from considering the drunk funny to finding him disgraceful?  I do not for a moment advocate for drunkenness but using this example, I hope this presents some food for thought on how we determine what is acceptable or not, especially if the issue is not explicitly discussed or taught.

Our reference verse reminds us that while we note the weaknesses and mistakes of others, we also need to look into our own lives for we too, have areas of weakness.  The bible reminds us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Isaiah 53:6), there is none who is righteousness (Romans 3:10), and John also wrote that if we say we have no sin we make God a liar (1 John 1:8-10).  This reminds us that we too have areas that we are still being perfected in.  Paul tells us that we were also sinners and strangers to God but for the blood of Jesus which bought us back to God (Colossians 1:21-22).  These verses are encouraging to a struggling brother/sister, there is hope for each one of us when we turn to the blood of Jesus.  Despite this truth in the word of God, we tend to forget the responsibility we have to also work on our own salvation instead of always finding fault in others. Beloved, as we look at others and react to the wrong that we see, it might be helpful to also look internally and see our own struggles.  Someone once said that we hate behaviours in others which reflect our inner struggles.  Could it therefore be that the speck in my life shines a light on your log, showing you of your own guilt?  Could our failure to love be what pushes the brother deeper in his sin?  Is it possible that my failings reminds you of your own failure and so you despise me for bringing the vice to the light?  I ask this not to condone sin and failings in others, but to help us shine a light into our dark closets.

Brethren, maybe it is time for more love and less condemnation for the struggling sister/brother.  Maybe we need less shunning of the other person and instead offer hope and help where we can.  In the book of Jude, we are reminded to not only keep ourselves holy as we seek God’s mercies, but also seek to save others snatching them from the fire even when we hate what they are doing (Jude 1:22-23).  This can only be done through the love of God having accepted that the difference between us and the others is only by the saving blood of Jesus, only by the mercies of God.

Thoughts:

What specks do you see in others?

What is the log in your own eye?

What is your attitude towards the struggling brother/sister?

What can you do to snatch one person from the fire?