I’ve been sitting with this next set of questions that Jesus asked for a few days now. Why am I having such a hard time articulating my thoughts? There are many layers to my wrestling here. I guess I am just going to peel them back one by one. Here’s the passage and then we’ll chat.
““Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.”
Matthew 7:1-6 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.7.1-6.HCSB
Do you ever stop and think how often you make judgements? Read the ever-changing weather report, judge the validity and decide what to wear. Stopped at a four way stop sign, you have to decide who goes first. Are they going to follow procedure guidelines or just go when they get bored?
I absolutely understand that this is not the type of judgement Jesus is talking about. It’s just so interesting to me how my whole day is made up of tiny little decisions. These judgements to which Jesus is referring are ones that we make about people. Those can be moment by moment decisions as well.
These are the judgements that can hurt people. Hurt us. Hurt relationships. How often do we find ourselves looking in the mirror and wrinkling our noses? How often do we wish for different..fill in the body part? We do not speak well of ourselves, do we?
Now project those feelings of inadequacy onto other people and we have a sermon. We look at strangers and make snap decisions about their lives, their character…all before saying one thing out loud. Why? Or we read a post and make a decision. A judgement and then respond likewise. Why?
Here’s where Jesus’ words have impact and maybe why I’m wrestling. I read somewhere recently, what if we believed the Bible at it’s word? Then I would need to respond accordingly. I would need to practice placing boundaries on my thoughts. Paying attention to the ever flowing stream of consciousness.
I have begun to ask myself as I am going about my day. Where are you? And honestly, that has been a huge help. Jesus’ question here in the first verses of chapter 7 are even better. Committing this to memory is good.
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye?”
Matthew 7:3-4 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.7.3-4.HCSB
Think about the last time you had something in your eye. SO annoying and you want to get that speck out right away. Maybe it’s an eyelash, or particle, whatever it is, get it out. Now think about a log, obviously that can’t happen, or maybe…anyway, I’m blinded. You are blinded. You can’t move or turn your head. And that is the point.
Where have I allowed society to mold my thoughts and behaviors rather than the word? Once I have dealt with my own stuff, then I can take the speck out of another’s eye. Or maybe I don’t. Maybe I ask the Lord to mold my thoughts. Bring him honor in controlling my tongue. Obey him in the smalls.
Then I do not give holy away to dogs and pigs, which is a judgement! Isn’t that interesting? Jesus judges rightly the hearts and minds. We do not.
See what I mean? It’s a hard passage. It gets, as my pastor would say, up in my kitchen. Lots more to process and think upon. What do you think of this passage? How do you read this?
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