eFollowingJesusJan27 - Log in the eye (read Matthew 7:1-6 - printed below)

   The crowd probably chuckled when Jesus tossed out the ludicrous image of somebody trying to get a splinter out of another person's eye - with a whole tree trunk stuck in his own!  But not very funny if we admit to our dreadful habit of fault-finding. 

   Jesus isn't saying we should avoid thinking diligently about right and wrong.  But if you have the energy of a lumberjack, spend it on the log in your self.  Why find splinters in others?  Aren't we insecure, hoping to inflate our own puny egos?  The soul intimately in sync with Jesus notices nothing but good.  "Whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).  "The saint is never offended by anything, and judges no man's sin, because he knows only the mercy of God" (Thomas Merton).

   How liberating!  Jesus has freed me from the dark burden of judging my neighbor.  I am incapable of it anyhow, but the responsibility isn't mine even if I were capable.

   Lord, I am addicted to finding fault.  Work with me on the log in my own eye.  I leave the judging to You.

James

james@mpumc.org

Here is the full text of Matthew 7:1-6 - 1: "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2: For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4: Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 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. 6: "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

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