Today’s Scripture Passage:
Matthew 7:1-5
Key Verse:
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 7:5 (NLT)
It’s easy to read today’s passage of Scripture and zoom in on the get the log out of your own eye. But look at the end of verse 5 again, “then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
Jesus did NOT say get the log out of your own eye then leave your friend struggling with the speck in her eye.
We’ve all experienced the irritation of having something in our eye. Our eye waters and becomes painful and distracting. We’re battling a tiny speck we can’t see but know is there. We need help and finally give up and ask someone else to take a look.
The same is true of our spiritual eyes. Sometimes, we just can’t see what’s is causing all the trouble. We know something is there. We feel the irritation and painful effects, but it’s as impossible to see as a speck in our physical eye.
That’s when God’s grace provides a friend to help us. This is a friend who loves us at all times…yes, even when we’re not at our best and struggling with a “speck” of sin. This is a friend who is humble and gentle at heart, loves us enough to draw near, look closely, and do the delicate work of hurting us to help us.
God’s grace comes to us in many ways, but I think fellow believers are some of the most wonderful and miraculous gifts of God’s grace in our lives. Why? It takes a true friend to remove a speck with love and without condemnation; a friend with a genuine desire to help us when we are in pain and our eyes are full of tears.
I’m thankful to have more than one friend willing to speak truth to me. Truth spoken from a place of genuine love. Admittedly, it hurts! And I can struggle with feeling offended or a need to defend myself. It doesn’t matter that I know I had a speck or needed help. It doesn’t even matter that I asked for help. The pain of seeing my “speck” of sin always sends me scurrying away for some serious Jesus time.
It usually starts with a good old-fashioned vent and cry session. After I calm down, Jesus helps me move from godly sorrow to repenting and confessing. That’s when His forgiveness and cleansing come. Oh what joy!
Oh! One other thing I’ve noticed is the clarity of hind sight. Once a speck is removed, I can see how Holy Spirit uses my relationships, circumstances, and God’s word to prepare me to accept the truth of my sin and my need for help.
I’ve learned, no matter how painful the process, the removal of a “speck” of sin brings blessing. The longer a speck is in the eye, the more damage is done and the higher the risk of long-term consequences.
So, next time a friend comes to you, shares a pain, and asks if you see a speck in their eye, don’t talk yourself out of sharing the truth of what you see. Remember you’re the one they’ve come to for help. They trust you to speak truth in love.
Jesus didn’t tell us not to help our friend. He said to be sure our own eyes are free of debris before we help.
Jesus Journaling:
1 When you’re struggling with a speck you can’t see yourself, do you ask someone for help? If yes, who and why did you choose that person? If no, why not?
2 What are some early signs of a speck you’ve come to recognize in your own life?
3 What causes you to doubt yourself when it comes to helping a friend with a speck?
Digging Deeper:
Proverbs 17:17, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Ephesians 4:14-16, 1 John 1:9
If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.