For the last couple of months, I’ve had this annoying brown speck on the outer white part of my left eye. I meant to get it checked out but then the holidays arrived and life got a little busy. I noticed it most when I spent time running in the mornings. In the shade, it was hardly noticeable but every time I faced the sunlight, the brown speck was there on my left side- kind of floating around and distracting my view. After a self examination, I determined that my eye got scratched somehow and eventually, it would heal. Thankfully, its gotten better over time.
While running, God would often bring Matthew 7:3 to mind. I wondered more than once, “Is God trying to tell me something? Am I judging, criticizing, or condemning someone in my life without being able to see my own sinfulness?” Hmmm, I wish I could say no to all of the above but truthfully, I can’t. That led me to wonder…
How can a believer who claims to love Jesus think that the particle in another’s eye is a problem when clearly, the log in her own eye has been hindering her view?
Jesus calls us to love one another, not judge one another.
Planks and logs are synonyms for pride. Ugh, pride. I hate to even say the word. Pride is ugly. If left unguarded, it creeps in and builds upon itself, haughty yet unnoticed. My prayer life has changed a little in the last couple of weeks. I’ve included more confession, coupled with asking the Lord to shed light on the areas in my life where pride may reside.
Wouldn’t you know it? This week, I’ve apologized to 5 people for 5 different reasons! These are not just any 5 people. These are my close friends and family members. All 5 times, I felt immediately compelled to repent, apologize and seek forgiveness. Talk about a huge helping of humble pie!
I can’t even remember the last time I had to wanted to apologize to so many people- in a given week, no less!
God, please take this “plank” from my eye and fill me with Your Vision! Teach me to see others as You do and help me to fully extend grace, as you have abundantly poured out Your grace on to me.
“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
