Planks And Sawdust

“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.” – Luke 6:41-42 NIV

We are liable to be preoccupied with the faults of others while completely missing the glaring issues God wants to address in our own lives. It is a healthy and right perspective to read God’s Word as if it were written not for those around me, but to me…because it is! Jesus tells us that we are to consider our own sin worst and first. He wants us to first do business with Him ourselves and then we will truly be in a place to help others. We will have a testimony and the discernment to be a help and service in the lives of those around us.

This is not a static place we just arrive at, but it is a lifestyle of turning to God in confession and repentance. As we do so, God equips and positions us to speak into the lives of others from a place of humility and grace because God is doing a wonderful redemptive work in our own lives! Finally, don’t go hunting for your own faults and failures either, but let the Holy Spirit be the One to identify what needs to be dealt with. He doesn’t traffic in guilt and condemnation, but in conviction and repentance. God is doing the good and perfect work of forming the character of Jesus Christ in you, let Him have His way.

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father, I turn to You afresh today and humble myself in Your sight. Let Your Kingdom come starting in my own heart that I might also be a help and blessing to others. In Jesus name, amen.