Specks and planks

Read Matthew 7:3

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We don’t find it difficult to notice flaws in other people. They might be quite trivial but if they annoy us they can become a serious irritant and problem in our relationship with that person. This is why Jesus says don’t be judgemental (7:1) i.e. thinking that we are better than other people and that there are things in their lives which need to be put right.

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What makes that far worse is that we tend to be blind to our own much greater faults and shortcomings. A plank is much easier to see than a speck of sawdust... unless it happens to be in ourselves. That’s clearly hypocritical, and hypocrisy is itself a very big plank (Mt.6:2,5,16). The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector gives us an illustration both of someone who is blind to his own plank and of someone who pays attention to his need for God’s mercy and help (Lk.18:9-14).

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Generally it’s good to be concerned about other people more than ourselves but not when it’s about our sins! Our sincere prayer must be for God to search our hearts and show us any wrong in us, particularly the planks which blind us. Blessing comes through being “poor in spirit” (5:3). That’s how our eyes become good and “full of light” (6:22).