The Plank and the Stick

Luke 6:42 (NIV)

42 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.

Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)

3 “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? 4 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? 5 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.

I love these two scriptures. No, I really do. For me these scriptures bring accountability. I have heard it preached that these scriptures are saying it is okay to correct your brother or sister in Christ as long as you’ve lined yourself up with God first; and even though this is not completely false, I find a deeper meaning in them. While studying and praying over them I am lead to fully examine myself in the eyes of God. It clearly states that first we are to take the plank out of our own eye. A plank is clearly bigger than a speck of sawdust and therefore God is telling us we got a whole lot of cleaning to do in our own self before we can even think about starting to help someone else.

When I read the bible I look at it as a love story between me and God. He loves me so unconditionally that He gave me a book of instructions that will guide me through every one of life’s highs and lows. It is history, philosophy, math, science, mystery, adventure,  and love all in one. And yes it was written for everyone so therefore everyone needs to take it and apply it to their own life.

I’m not saying you can’t share scriptures with others for encouragement or loving correction but be careful that you do not throw out a scripture to cast judgement before you have dealt with that judgement in your own life first. I know He’s still working on me; every hour of every day. I am quite the work in progress. Some days I find myself singing that childhood favorite, “He’s still working on me..to make me what I ought to be..it took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars...the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars...how loving and patient He must be…’cause He’s still working on me”. You are singing now too aren’t you? Ha-ha!

I have learned over the years that there is no way I can effectively help someone with their own problems if I’m still swimming in a mess of my own. I have learned that I cannot have someone else’s relationship with Jesus for them, only they can do that, so therefore I can only have my relationship with Him. I believe it is wise to read the bible and take all of it personally; meaning to apply every word to our own lives and allow it to penetrate us to the marrow. We should feel conviction, correction, love, hope, peace and a rejuvenated life from its power. Its words should inspire us to want to be better, more compassionate, more loving, more caring, more kind and more understanding towards others, not the opposite.

I also believe that once we have truly eaten the fruit of the Word we will become increasingly aware of our own flaws and feel the judgement of its words towards ourselves and then we will be drawn towards repentance and then we will seek the Word further on how to best “fix” ourselves to line up with God’s standards. After we have completed this lengthy soul renewing process we are then equipped to help our brothers and sisters remove the tiny particle from their lives. We will also be slower to undertake this reproach of others because we will have tasted its bitter fruit and are fully aware of its sting so as to tread lightly when pulling the speck out of another believer’s eye. We will do it with reluctance and not satisfaction, in moderation and not exaggeration and we will do it in love.

I think it is safe to say that if everyone would take a long look in the mirror and focus on lining their own lives up with the Word of God instead of having their noses in everybody else's business the world would be in a much better place. Unfortunately we may never see this kind of revival because the Word tells us the enemy has many blinded. But there is hope for those of us who have had our blinders removed and have looked in that perfect mirror and seen our imperfections and recognized it is only by the grace of God that we overcome what we overcome and it is by His strength alone that we find courage to reach into our eye and pull the plank out. It surely leaves a gaping wound that needs to be mended and treated and given time to heal. Oh how precious is our Saviour that He is patient and kind and loving and continuing the work in us that He once began.

So, yes, I love these scriptures because they cause me to examine myself. My desire is to have the closest relationship possible with my Creator and that means striving to be more like His Son. I refuse to let others steal my joy because they can’t see their flaws when I know I walked around in darkness for a long time too and I know I am not perfect and I still have a lot more planks to pull out before I can see with total clarity. For now I will continue to let my light shine before men so that they may see Jesus in me and give Him all the Honor and Glory, because it’s all about Him. Amen.