HOST: Michael Whitworth
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
I love the imagery of this passage. Can you picture it? You have a speck of dust in your eye and are struggling to find relief, when someone walks up to you: “Let me help you with that.” As you look up, you find the person standing before you with a 2x4 protruding from their own eye. Jesus uses this exaggerated language to demonstrate a simple principle: before you begin to judge and “fix” other people, make sure you have examined yourself. Jesus is not teaching that we should not be concerned for others, or that we should not try to help those who are obviously involved in behavior that is destructive to their spiritual lives. He is simply stating that we must not fall into the trap of hypocrisy by ignoring our own shortcomings while haughtily pointing out the errors of others. We must learn the lesson of humility and understand that it is only by the grace of God that any of us have the opportunity to be freed from the shackles of sin. Let us approach God, others, and even our own lives with that spirit of humility, and let us examine our hearts and lives to be sure that we are in a faithful relationship with God.
How can we help others to overcome sin without unrighteously judging others?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
