Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Luke 6:41 (New International Version)

41"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?


from Our Daily Bread

It was just a speck, a tiny foreign object
flying through the air on a windy day while
I was cutting the grass. Somehow that speck
made its way into my left eye.

For the next few hours that little speck caused
quite a bit of irritation. I tried washing it out. My
wife, Sue, a nurse, tried everything she could
think of. Finally, we went to a Med Center, where
the medical personnel on duty couldn’t get it out
either. Only after applying some ointment and
waiting several more annoying hours did I get
relief from the speck.

This tiny, nagging irritant made me think anew
about Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7 about criticizing
others. My first thought was to be impressed with
the practicality of Jesus’ illustration. Using the
effective literary tool of hyperbole, or exaggeration,
He explained for His listeners how foolish it is for
a person to criticize someone without seeing that
he or she is also guilty of error. If you can find
someone else’s little speck while ignoring the hunk
of wood in your own eye, something’s wrong. It
should be unthinkable to ignore our own faults while
pointing out someone else’s.

An attitude of self-righteousness has no place in the
Christian life  THAT SHOULD BE PLAIN TO SEE!

Prayer:
Lord, help me not to get caught up in pointing
out the “little” sins in others’ lives, while ignoring
my own glaring sin. I’m thankful that with repentance
comes forgiveness. In Jesus Name Amen.

INSPECT YOUR OWN LIFE BEFORE YOU LOOK
FOR SPECKS IN OTHERS.