LOGS AND SPECKS
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” Matthew 7:3, NLT
Theme: Consider your own sin before you worry about anyone else; examine yourself first.
I’M BETTER THAN YOU...NOT!
I remember a phone conversation my then-husband and I had with a Christian mentor many years ago. It went like this:
Previous husband: “Susan thinks she is less of a sinner than I am.”
Me: thinking to myself: “Well sure, I don’t do ______ as often or as badly as he does.”
Mentor: “No, you and Susan are equal sinners. It’s just that you are causing more trouble.”
I was humbled and encouraged at the same time.
Our verse for today invites us to have a humble perspective when it comes to our own sin and others’ sin. Jesus is saying unrepentant sin is like having a log in your eye. Picture that for a moment (not too fast). You have a big, long log hanging out of your eye. How would you even get close enough to someone and be able to see or take a tiny speck out of their eye? You couldn’t. It’s insanity to think you could. Yet we act this way when it comes to sin in others. We see their sin as a log and our sin as a speck.
Jesus tells us that our own sin against God is a much bigger debt than another’s sin against you (Matthew 18:23-28). From this humble posture, considering myself as the bigger sinner, the one with a log (I Timothy 1:15), I can repent of my sin first. Then and only then can I move close enough toward the other person to see clearly regarding their “speck” without judgment, but instead helping as our Scripture goes on to say in verse 5: “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.” We can then address where another is messing up. Love doesn’t let someone keep doing harm to themselves or others, but love never sees oneself as being better. When we do, the Bible calls it self-righteousness and hypocrisy, which risk God’s judgment (Luke 18:9-14).
I NEED HELP, TOO
One day, my husband was coming down too hard on our son. Because of my own fear, I would stay quiet and later check on my son. I was selfishly protecting myself instead of my child. On this day, I decided to step in and gently address my husband who responded, “You do it, too.” In my self-righteous, hypocritical fashion, I responded back with, “Not as often or as bad,” seeing his sin as a plank and mine as a speck. I had forgotten that I had come down too hard on our daughter just the other day. It doesn’t matter if I do something once compared to his 100th time. We are both equally guilty and in need of grace.
We had a repeat of this scenario, but by the grace of God, when he said, “You do it, too,” I responded saying, “Yes, and I need your help when I do.” We all sin, and even though our faults and character flaws can be different, we still stand before God needing and receiving the same grace. I have often said that if sin were ice cream, we would all have different flavors. You may be vanilla and I may be strawberry, but both are still ice cream.
GRACE
Jesus is the only person who lived who is completely innocent of any sin; no plank or speck in His eye. Yet He took our plank and their specks on Himself, enduring God’s judgment so we no longer need to judge ourselves or others. Instead, we can live in truth and grace, admitting our planks and dealing gracefully with others’ specks.
Make It Personal: Feelings of contempt and impatience toward another’s flaws are a sign of blindness to your own plank. Pay attention this week and notice how often you roll your eyes, gossip, or even think, “Really, how could they do that?” Confess to God your hypocrisy and speck-picking and ask Him to show you your plank, remembering that Jesus already paid that debt. Then repent. Your heart will soften toward others, and you will feel free, leading to a life of repentance, forgiveness, and joy. Think how much better all our relationships could be if we all did this!
Pray: Help me to see Jesus clearly and myself correctly so I can love others with the same grace You have for me, coming alongside them as a fellow sinner. Amen.
Read: Matthew 7:1-5, 18:23-28; Luke 18:9-14; I Timothy 1:15
Weekly Memory Verse: “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17, NLT