Last time we talked about how we don’t care about truth more than we care about our own pride.  Humility was the key. We need to go a step beyond that. It’s really easy to spot other people’s sins.  Really easy.  I could probably watch someone for a day and have a huge list of their sins and how they should fix them with accompanying diagrams, flowcharts, 3D animation and a puppet show.

You’re probably the same way, picking apart the sins of your parents, siblings, friends, pastors, Gollum, Cobra Commander or Voldemort. We do this while overlooking our own sins.

MT 7:3 “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? [4] How 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? [5] You 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.

We love looking at other people’s sins with our eyes, while those same eyes are obstructed by sin. I hate how my parents are always impatient with me.  Which means I’m being impatient with them for their impatience.  How can I deal with MY impatience?

It’s totally true how Christ calls us hypocrites in these situations.  Half the time we are guilty of the exact same sin we’re accusing someone else of.  If not the same exact sin, many times it’s a related sin. So what do we do? Think about the people closest to you and think about their sins for a sec. 

Now, turn that same critical eye inwards. What are your sins?  What sins do you see in others that also exist in you? Your spouse is impatient?  How are you impatient? Your boss is overbearing?  How are you overbearing? Billy is always being so selfish by taking the most doughnuts.  How are you being selfish by not wanting him to get more doughnuts?

Just like Christ said, worry about that huge piece of wood in your eye before worrying about someone else’s. Take your finger and point it at yourself.

But just don’t pull it.  That’s a different sin that we’ll talk about another time.  Maybe when you’re as mature as I am.

MT 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. [2] For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. MT 7:3 “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? [4] How 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? [5] You 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.

Take time to pray: Continue to ask God for humility so you can focus on your sins rather than others’ sins. Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Patience.  Patience with other people, so that you can look inwards. We love pointing fingers at other people’s sins.  In fact, we love doing it so much that there’s entire industries supported by it.  Just look at the tabloids at the supermarket.  The more sin, the greater the headlines.  It’s all, “Arnold Schwarzenegger Cheats!” and not “Arnold Schwarzenegger stays faithful for third year in a row!”  No one would read that.  Well maybe someone would, but accidentally.  Like if the magazine fell off the rack and it happened to open to that article and some M&Ms fell all over the page.