Monday, July 20, 2015

As we continue to study Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7 we now come in the first 6 verses of chapter 7 to the issue of judging others. Read carefully these 6 verses together. Many people only see the first three words, “Do not judge.” If they read the rest of the verse, “or you too will be judged,” it scares them into inaction. Verse two explains the first verse. Be aware, you will be judged in the same measure as you judge others. Then Jesus gives a practical illustration everyone could understand – the wind blows and someone gets a speck of sawdust in their eye and it hurts or irritates. The natural thing for you to do is say, “Let me help you get the speck out.” But if you too got a piece of that sawdust in your own eye, wouldn’t it be best to first get the sawdust out of your own eye? To make His point Jesus says, first get the plank out of your own eye. Why this use of hyperbole? Because we have a tendency to see a speck in someone else’s eye even when we are in worse shape ourselves. There is a hint of pride that thinks, “I’m in better shape than you are. So let me help you.” I first need to ask Jesus to take care of my need before attempting to meet the need my brother has. In other words, if you determine or judge that a brother has a need, be sure you are spiritually healthy before trying to help him. Inner health, that is, in the secret place of your heart, equips you to clearly see a need in a brother’s life and with compassion and humility deal with the irritant that is hurting him.