Today’s Reading: Matthew 7:3-5 (HCSB)
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Today’s Question: Do you find it easier to spot the failures of others or your own?
Today’s Commentary:
I recently read about a small town in Connecticut where residents signed a petition to end reckless driving in their neighborhood. Upon town council approval, a police watch was set up and five people were immediately cited. All five had signed the petition!
Hypocrisy makes news; and a double standard diminishes the testimony of a Christian. Therefore, before one speaks a syllable of critique against another, there is a process of self-examination that must occur first.
For people who claim that Christians should never judge others, it would be appropriate for them to read what Jesus states following a warning against judging. Jesus says that we should “take the speck out of our brother’s eye.” But there is a clear pre-condition that is required of the Christian.
1. We must examine our own lives. As King David prayed, “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
2. We must pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I rejoice in the moments that the Holy Spirit used a brother or sister to gently rebuke my rebellious spirit. The right time and the right place is important.
3. We must check our motive. Exhortation is edifying to others when the motive is Christ-honoring. Grace abounds when a person speaks to another from a heart attitude of love.
4. How can we know that we are spiritually ready to confront another disciple of Christ about sin? When our own sins bother us more than the sins of others, that mentality is the litmus test. If you cannot wait to confront someone, you are not ready. If this is a task that you wish you did not have to do, then it is possible that the timing is right.
Seeing clearly is the key to this passage. When something is in my eye, it waters and I cannot see. My vision is blurred and my judgments may be skewed.
If we noticed that someone had a foreign object stuck in his or her eye, how would we react in order to help? Would we verbally abuse them? Would we hit them on the back of the head in order to dislodge the object from their eye? No, we would carefully and gently help them remove the speck, as to cause no more harm to the delicate cornea. Our spiritual advice should be no different than helping someone with a physical injury.
Has there been a time when someone treated you harshly about sin in your life?
Did you find this helpful or discouraging?
Has someone ever helped you deal with sin in a loving and compassionate way?
How helpful was this approach?
“Follow One, Lead Others” Principle #47: Disciples of Jesus help one another through loving accountability, helping one another avoid sin and walk with the Holy Spirit.
Today’s Prayer Point: Pray for someone you know today who is struggling with an issue of sin. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lead you to the response that would bring glory to God.
Shepherding Well 