Planks and Specks in the Rearview Mirror

Fifty2 Sunday’s ~ Listening for God

    In one week I have listened to two lessons from Luke 6:37-42. Each of the presenters camped out on verse 37: “Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” There is much wisdom contained in this verse and with next verse (Luke 6:38) that reminds us that by the measure we use it will be used toward us. This second verse as found in Matthew 7:2 tells us that it is the measure by which I judge another that I will be judged.  This verse serves as a great reminder that I need to be very cautious when I pass judgement on another.

However Luke 6:41 & 42 calls at me too; “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, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This passage highlights how it is possible to be oblivious to one’s own shortcomings and yet confident in our assessment of another person’s. How challenging this is - it goes a step beyond judging and treads into the territory of ‘I know what's wrong and how to fix it - we just need to get that speck out of your eye’. Because hindsight is said to be “20/20” - if given the chance I am sure we would each do something different if we could go back in time and do so. I definitely would - especially those things I know I have said or done that hurt another person. 

We will be accountable for every thoughtless word spoken (Matthew 12:36) and in James (1:26) we are warned to keep a “tight rein” on our tongues. Fortunately, each day takes us further down the road from the errs of our past – it’s like watching scenery in the rearview mirror as it grows smaller and more distant. If wisdom comes with age  - then we can be glad to be getting older with every passing day and hopefully our vision is improving too so we can recognize when a plank is in our own eye before we ever notice the speck in someone else's.