Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log 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 brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:3-5 ESV
The hyperbolic language in this passage is comical. It pictures someone with a log stuck in his eye who wants to help someone remove a speck from their eye. And the most amusing thing is that the person with the log in their eye seems oblivious to it.
So, what is Jesus saying here? Certainly, he doesn’t expect that there will be anyone running around with an unnoticed log in their eye. Especially someone anxious to help remove a speck from another’s eye.
This passage follows immediately after Jesus’ instruction against judging others and seems logically connected to it. We might think of the speck in our brother’s eye as a problem they have. Or at least one we judge them to have. And how often are we eager to point out that perceived flaw? But of course, we do it in love, hoping that our criticism will result in them correcting whatever is wrong.
But frequently, the problem is that I have a log in my own eye. I have my own issues that need to be dealt with before I can help someone else. And how often are my own issues bigger than those of the one I want to help? Or, even worse, the one I am judging?
Jesus does not tell me not to help others with the specks in their eyes. That is actually a good thing to do. But I need to be sure that I am also dealing with my own specks and logs. When I am blind or indifferent to my own faults, I will not be much help to others and may only make matters worse.
Be on the lookout for your own logs, and even specks, and deal with them before judging others.
