Plank

"'Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.'" Matthew 7:1-5

I was humbled this morning. This passage immediately popped into my head as I caught myself doing exactly what it tells me not to do. I think it is so easy to let myself off the hook (caught myself doing that too) by applauding myself in not blatantly judging. i.e. I do not hate black people. I don't even slightly dislike them. Yay, I get a cookie. To me, that's an excuse. But what about the people who look or act differently? Again, I think that's an easy way out I have given myself. I have grown up with the idea of treating "weird people" just like any other person. An even more dangerous situation, I feel, is when those of us who wear the name "Christian" begin placing ourselves on levels. When someone starts talking badly about another person, I am immediately turned off and think it's not right. But what about when I start doing that? Neither time is right, neither time is profitable to anyone, but when I want to say something, do I offset the wrong by thinking that "I just need to get it out?" How is that any different? It's not. I'm the one with the plank.
So, today, I am figuratively laying at the feet of Jesus, desperate and quiet at the sinful state I am in. But I am also joyful and full of hope, knowing that His grace is sufficient. That His power is made PERFECT in weakness.