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"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the
judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the
measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not
notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me
take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You
hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly
to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.” One of the most difficult things to do as a Christian is to
actually do what Jesus says in this passage. It is not difficult to believe what
he says. It is not even difficult to know that he is quite correct and
understand why it is so. But I find it almost impossible at times not to judge
someone else’s actions. I find it difficult not to seek vengeance, to measure
out punishment that fits the crime. I find it so easy to criticize someone else
while very, very conveniently forgetting my own failings and shortcomings. Not
only do I forget them, I often think them to be positive gifts. Almost everything Jesus said made complete and common sense. When
he talked about how we should treat our neighbor, even who was our neighbor;
when he told us the vital importance of forgiveness in order to move on
in life; when he reiterated over and over again the importance of the law
but not its slavish following; when he told us how much God loves us, and on and
on, Jesus was not saying anything new or profound. And yet people stood in
amazement at what he said. Of course, if Jesus’s original hearers were anything like me, I
know why they were so amazed. They were amazed at how something so simple could
not only be so profound but also so easily overlooked if not entirely ignored. I
suspect that if I were standing in the crowd listening to these very words, my
first reaction and response would be an internal, “I sure hope those people
are listening to what he is saying,” while completely exonerating myself in
the process. And then I would look up and see Jesus looking directly at me and
saying, “Bill, I’m talking to you. Bill, you have to stop judging others. It
is only going to come back to haunt you. Trust me on that one. And, Bill, I know
you think you are always right and those who disagree with you are wrong; but,
Bill, you are not God. You are wrong at times. You even do wrong. And sometimes,
Bill, -- I know you’ll find this
hard to admit -- but sometimes you do some really bad things, worse things than
those whom you so easily criticize are doing. Do I need to say any more,
Bill?” And I would stand there with my mouth open, knowing Jesus was right
on, and want to say, “Did you really have to say that?” I know the answer to
that one too. I pray: Lord, I know I need to be reminded about how I sometimes so
easily overlook my own sinfulness and even more easily find fault with others
for doing the exact same thing. Help me to be honest with myself and loving in
my responses. Amen. |