Sawdust & Planks

“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?” - Jesus (Matthew 7:3)

How do you know if you are one of the ones Jesus is talking to?

…The type of person who picks out and zooms in on everybody else’s trash even though they have a significant landfill stationed in their own backyard.

…The kind of person who, instead of seeing and dealing with their own sin, has adjusted their lives to compensate for their shortcomings, much like we do with a sore ankle or knee to walk with less pain.

We point our fingers at others—coming at them with our own limp and self-inflicted wounds. 

We are such fickle creatures.

We hate being judged, yet we’re so good and practiced at judging others.

Self-righteousness is such a sneaky and stealthy sin. 

It doesn’t just bait us into thinking ‘our sin’ isn’t nearly as bad as ‘their sin’.

No, it convinces, convicts, and implores us to call out theirs while ignoring and overlooking our own.

It’s not that there isn’t a place for judging others. 

We desperately need people in our lives who will call us out when we’re off and who will help get us out of the ditches we dug ourselves into.

But…there is a right and a wrong way. 

There is a way that brings an opportunity for life, health and transformation, and there is way that won’t leave margin for any of that.

Paul gives us some coordinates to get us going on the right track…

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2)

Paul says, “You who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently,” and he ends with, “Carry each other’s burdens”.

What does it look like to live by the Spirit and carry each other’s burdens when we find out someone missed the mark?

Well…it looks like how the Holy Spirit Fathers us when we mess up. 

The Holy Spirit doesn’t point his finger from a distance or desert us in our sin.

And the Holy Spirit doesn’t sit on his heavenly throne in all his glory and perfection and nitpick and secretly gloat when we lower earth-forms miss-step.

The Holy Spirit came down to where we are and pursues us until we say ‘yes’ to His invitation into a relationship with Him…

…to tag-team this life together.

…to win battles—to overcome odds together .

…to help shoulder the weight of this world together.

So YOU(!), who have this gentle but all powerful, burden-carrying Holy Spirit within you… 

When you see someone caught in a sin, don’t pretend or act like you don’t have your own, instead pursue and approach them in the same way your Heavenly Father confronted yours…with love and gentleness, and an offer to move forward together.