Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?
Matthew 7, Amplified Bible
We have an incredible capacity for self-deception. We operate on the premise that by condemning another person, we will be a more spiritual person. I have this extreme tendency to look for issues that I can zap, point my finger at, all to build myself up inside. This very common approach to spirituality has been identified and denounced by our Lord.
But it is so easy to do, and to be frank, so satisfying to practice. Jesus makes it out to be absurd, almost comical in strange way. A bit of dust becomes the center of attention; a big plank is ignored. I think we all get the picture, and it is laughable! Or is it?
The speck can be just about anything. It is an irritant, but it also is small. We know it is present, we can’t just ignore it. The plank also can be just about anything, and a speck and a plank have considerable differences. With our huge plank though, we can still make out that tiny particle in our neighbor’s eye. Interesting.
Jesus’ wants us to renounce this false deception, and not to let it mislead us anymore. We cannot go around identifying evil in others–and minimize our own. I don’t want to do this anymore, I can’t do this anymore.
Part of verse 7, tells us to “consider”. We are being instructed to evaluate our own condition, before we take the next step of helping out another. Know yourself first. Measure that plank, know its dimensions, understand what you are dealing with. And don’t be reaching out to your brother’s issue. It may make you feel spiritual and mature, but it is also foolish and ill-advised.
Broken Believers 