I could not believe what I was reading. This guy was a Christian, how could he do something like that? Some years back someone tagged me on a social media post about a colleague who apparently according to the post had swindled cash from someone who then took to social media to expose my colleague for who he was. I was shocked as I went through the comments; people had some harsh things to say some whom I thought were his close friends. I was tempted to also throw in a comment but instead I called him up to find out what was going on.
Matthew 7:3-5
3 Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Many of us in the church today have become the judge, jury and executioner. We are quick to expose and put to shame fellow brethren the moment we discover something nasty about them sometimes not even taking the time to verify the authenticity of the “scoop”. We are so quick to point out that insignificant speck in our brother’s eye but we tent to ignore the log in our eye. When dealing with others we cry out for their blood but when we are the ones on the spot we cry out for grace, mercy and understanding.
Jesus reminds us that before we pass judgment on others, we need to examine ourselves. To focus on the speck in another’s eye while conveniently forgetting the log in our eye is hypocritical before God. We should not focus so much on trying to fix the little things in the lives of others; instead we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
May God forgive us for focusing on the speck in the life of another while neglecting the log in our own lives.
My colleague was grateful that I had taken the time to call him and not joined the band wagon of people posting nasty comments online about him without knowing the full story. We all have weaknesses; the bible says love covers a multitude of sins. May I be my brother’s keeper.
