SAINTS JOHN FISHER, BISHOP, AND THOMAS MORE, MARTYRS (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? 

This image seems rather exaggerated.   Obviously, we couldn’t imagine walking around for even one second with a wooden beam in our eye, let alone a splinter!   But Jesus often used such dramatic images to get the attention of his listeners.   So why does he make such a glaring contrast between the small and the large here?

Because Jesus cares deeply about the way we perceive one another.   When we focus our attention on criticizing the people around us, it can make us blind to our own faults.   And it’s clear that Jesus considers this kind of spiritual blindness to be a very serious problem.   In fact, he says that the very reason he came to earth was so that those “who do not see might see” (John 9:39).   Think about the Pharisees Jesus rebukes later in Matthew’s Gospel.   He calls them “blind guides” because they try to guide their followers’ behavior but don’t seem to be guiding them closer to the call to love God and neighbor (23:24).

What Jesus really wants us to focus on is the heart of the law; he wants us to see his heart for our neighbors.   And if the “wooden beam” of sin is getting in the way of that, we need to see that too—and get rid of it.   Jesus isn’t interested in condemning us for our sin or burdening us with shame about it.   He just wants us to be free of it so that we can love him more fully and see our neighbors the way he sees them.

Let’s face it—sin obscures our vision, especially the way we look at other people.   It can make us suspicious of their motives, and it can lead us to put people in negative categories.   So take some time today and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see the “plank” in your own eye, the sin that clouds your perception of other people.   Ask the Lord to forgive you.   Then let Jesus help you to see as he sees.

“Lord, help me to see myself and each person I will meet today in the light of your truth—and the fullness of your mercy!”

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18
Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13