Log Jam

Day 18 of 40 days of Lenten Posts
You can see the speck in your friend’s eye.

But you don’t notice the log in your own eye.

How can you say, “My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye, “when you don’t see the log in your own eye? You show-offs! First, get the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend’s eye. Luke 6:41-42 CEV

At times we can be quick to point out sin in a friend’s life when it is outwardly visible to the world. But what about our own sins, the ones done behind closed doors, the ones no one sees or knows about.

Until we deal with the sin in our life, do we have the right to point out another’s sin?

When we try to remove the speck from our friend’s eye, while harboring a log in our eye, we become the Pharisee in the parable that Jesus told in Luke 18:10-14.

Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, and the other was a cheating tax collector. The proud Pharisee ‘prayed’ this prayer: ‘Thank God, I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t commit adultery, I go without food twice a week, and I give to God a tenth of everything I earn.
But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored.”

When the sin in our life has been dealt with, then when we go to our brother to help him recognize the sin he has in his life, it will be done with humility. We will stand with that brother, holding him up, encouraging him and keeping him accountable to walking in righteousness.

May we pray as David did.
Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true. Ps. 139:23-24 CEV