“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? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 6.41-42
How easy it is to judge others! How simple to look at others and see their faults while ignoring our own weaknesses, mistakes, and sins. None of us has eyes in the back of our head. No matter how hard we try, we miss things and end up judging others.
Jesus asks us first to examine our own sins before we look at the sins of others. Yet how few of us actually do that? We are quick to judge, quick to anger, and slow to listen. Jesus is directing us toward inward reflection, introspection, and meditation.
There have been many times when I focused on the mistakes of others while all along I was just as imperfect as they were. I was judging at the very moment when I needed to confess. This doesn’t mean we can’t correct others—we certainly should, for the sake of accountability—but we must first examine ourselves, our own lives, and our own behavior before correcting the faults in others.
In college I had three “J-bros”—my “Jesus brothers.” They helped hold me accountable. I would confess to them when I needed to, and they would listen to my confession, forgive me, and help me walk with the Lord once again.
Let’s not ignore the plank in our own eye while pointing out the speck in another’s. Let us strive for personal holiness first, and then help others do the same.
“O Lord God, You are good and faithful. I thank You for loving me and for allowing me to walk in newness of life. Come now, Holy Spirit; find me faithful and willing. Even in my imperfection, I find my help in You. I praise You, Lord, for Your goodness and grace, for You are good and Your love endures forever.” Amen.