The Plank in Our Eyes.

In our daily meditations, we reflect on what Jesus taught His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. In chapter seven of the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord continues to address our heart issues by discussing criticism, one of the most damaging factors to a person’s self-esteem. Have you ever experienced harsh judgment? Criticism can be devastating to a person’s spirit. I recall starting out in my early twenties, just learning to preach and teach the Word of God. I had an influential person in my life who, after hearing me preach a couple of times, told me that I should give up trying to preach because I was no good at it. Those words crushed me at the time! A person who experiences that kind of judgment can do one of two things: either he can completely abandon any thoughts of continuing in ministry, or he can respond by improving at whatever God is calling him to do. I told myself that if I’m not good at communicating the Word of God, I will work hard at it so that I have something interesting and uplifting to share.

Every now and then, those words return to me, reminding me not to settle for the things I have learned and the wisdom I have gained, but to fulfill God’s call by doing everything I can to go into the world and preach good news to those who will listen. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had words about being careful in our judgment of others:

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:1-6).

The word judge (v. 7) originates from the Greek word krino, which is also the basis for the word critic. The root meaning of this term is to separate, but it can also refer to judging in a courtroom or discerning truth from error. Discerning truth from falsehood is something we are meant to do and is vital to our discipleship. Therefore, Jesus is not implying that we are never to make any judgments, as He further explains in verse 6, “Do not give dogs what is sacred.” We are not expected to ignore errors.

Paul the apostle instructed his protégé, Timothy, not to lay hands on someone hastily (1 Timothy 5:22). In other words, he advised against granting leadership authority too soon to emerging leaders, emphasizing the need to assess their character thoroughly. This requires leaders to make informed judgments about individuals. So what is Jesus getting at when He tells us not to judge? The fruit on a branch goes through various stages before it is ready to be plucked and eaten. Being a disciple of Christ means that we are to evaluate our brothers and sisters with abundant grace rather than critique them at every stage of their growth. We should give them room to develop in grace, reminding ourselves that the Master will judge us with the measure we have used in our lifetime.

You cannot go very far as a disciple if you cannot judge where people are coming from. However, in your judgment, be careful not to judge based solely on what you see on the outside. Some of God's most outstanding leaders have grown up under terrible circumstances and have had little of this world's provisions or encouragement. In your growth as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, let your judgment begin with yourself. Remove the beam from your own eye so that you can take the speck out of another’s eye. Be attentive to the correction of the Holy Spirit as He encourages changes in your thoughts and actions. New believers should focus on developing their own character before they can expect to influence the lives of others or lead in God’s church. I still shudder to think where I would be today if I had listened to that influential person who advised me to give up teaching God’s Word. Keith Thomas

This meditation is from the complete study found at the following link:

https://www.groupbiblestudy.com/engsermon/6.-walking-out-true-faith-in-god