Learning to See the Plank in My Eye
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ‘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, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 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.’” Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)
Jesus grew up around a carpenter’s shop, but that was not the driving force behind these words.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about judging and condemning. But what does it mean to judge and what does it mean to condemn, and how does this all relate to loving our neighbor?
To judge means to come to a final conclusion about a person.
To condemn means to pass sentence on someone.
If our neighbor is anyone God brings across our path, that means our neighbor could even be an enemy or someone we would love to judge and condemn.
WHAT DID JESUS MEAN BY JUDGING?
Judging someone and making a final conclusion about someone is not something we are in the position to do. Ultimately, we can’t know someone’s heart and condition.
Jesus basically told them in this sermon: before you go looking for the faults of others, take a look at yourself first. Like the old saying says, “When you point your finger at someone, you have three pointing back at you.”
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12 (NIV)
So, how do we learn to see the plank in our own eye? This is important because to NOT see the plank in our own eye means we are hypocrites with huge blind spots (which was Jesus’ conclusion).
HOW TO CLEARLY SEE THE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE
Here are some possibilities to consider to help you do this:
1. Remember your own struggles and failings.
Remember yesterday when you thought something you shouldn’t have thought, said something you shouldn’t have said, or reacted the way you shouldn’t have reacted?
The truth is, we all need God’s grace. Because on our own we don’t look that good or have it all together. We are all messy. So, before you bring the hammer of judgment down on someone–remember. Here’s what Jesus said:
“...He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’” John 8:7b (NIV)
2. Review you.
This is a great place to start. Look inside before you look outside. The condition of your heart is a key factor before you try to deal with the condition of someone else’s heart. Our worst enemy…is us. We can fool ourselves easily and convince and rationalize our way down destructive paths.
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
I often can look back and recognize my motivation in actions were all wrong. God cares about the why–He cares about our heart. We need to sort out our own feelings and emotions toward a situation or a person.
“Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’” Haggai 1:5 (NIV)
Have you done that lately? When we do, there will be times when we see the plank in our eye.
3. Be wrong on the side of grace.
I’ll always remember the statement from my pastor growing up: “Always err on the side of grace.” This means before you pass judgment on someone, before you jump in on a conclusion…add some grace into the mix.
“The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.” Psalm 103:8-10 (NLT)
Notice that God (who has complete and total information and is in the best position to pass judgment with just cause) chooses not to accuse. How does He respond? With grace, slowness, compassion, mercy and love. What a difference it would make in your life and mine and the lives of those around us if we treated our neighbors this way. This is the heart of what Jesus was saying.
Then we will come to the place where we put Jesus’ words into our hearts and into action and live out this Scripture:
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Here’s a great prayer to pray: “Lord, help me with my planks in my eyes. I have them, and I don’t always see them. Have mercy on me, Jesus. You are kind, gracious and full of mercy. Have mercy on me. Help me not withhold Your love from my neighbor no matter how much I disagree or want to judge. Bring Your grace and truth into my heart and eyes. Bring me to a repentance that sees clearly and loves fully. I thank You that your love for me never fails.”