See the plank in your own eye

See the plank in your own eye.  Most Christians should remember this as something Jesus said.  It's from a section the NIV titles Judging Others.  It's a hard issue to write about, because Jesus also said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  That's hard.  Don't judge.  Don't condemn.  Forgive.  Even when every fiber of your being is screaming that something's wrong! That's one of the reasons why, when I write something like this, I try to remember to ask you - the reader - to examine yourself.  I've tried, repeat tried, to take the plank out of my eye.  I believe I've come a long way over the last several years.  Changed many attitudes about things.  But I know I'm not perfect.  And yet, when I feel called to write something, there's this balancing act between what part of me wants to say - and what I know in my heart shouldn't be said.  Like don't judge, don't condemn and do forgive. So this, and probably a number of posts to follow, are an attempt to do that balancing act, while pointing out that we are Christians, not political puppets.  We answer to God, not our political party.  We follow Jesus, not out political party of choice. So with that in mind, let's take a look at Judging Others.

Judging Others

6:37-42 pp — Mt 7:1-5

Lk 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Lk 6:39 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Lk 6:41 “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? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

See the plank in your own eye

See what I mean?  How can anyone respond to that?  How do you write about something that fits that scenario without being a hypocrite?  It's not easy.  But I have to try. Let's look at the scenario, then go through Judging Others to see what's going on.

President Trump suggested Tuesday that he might consider cutting funding for the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus crisis and alleged role in helping China downplay the severity of the outbreak.