Are you worried about the speck or plank?

Scripture: Matthew 7:3-4

3“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? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is plank in your own eye.”

Observation: Do not criticize or judge others, or even tell them what to do. You are far from perfect.

Application: Wow. Convicting.

Even as I was selecting what to write about his morning, I picked another instructive verse first because it irritates me when people do the other thing. And then this passage screamed out to me.

It is not up to me to tell anyone else (except my children) what to do. (And my SOAP time is not my personal soapbox, it my time to listen to what God is sharing with me for me. I just share what I hear with you, too.)

I am not in charge of the world or most other people. And I am far from perfect. I need to focus in and make the changes He would like for me to make within myself, and not judge anyone else.

Pray: Lord, thank you for this reminder to stop worrying about fixing others and instead transform my life to truly serve you. Please guide me to push those thoughts out when they creep in. Help me to turn away from any judgments I might make. Help me to stop them before they form. And help me turn that energy and effort into transforming myself to be the woman and disciple you designed me to be. Thank you , Lord for loving me in all my mess and mistakes.


Comments

One response to “Are you worried about the speck or plank?”

  1. I’m so glad you added the caveat about children. It is our JOB to correct our children. But you are right, it is also not our job to correct anyone else.

    This is one of my biggest personal stumbling blocks. It’s getting to the point where EVERY time I’m about to be critical of something or someone I am learning to STOP and realize that I am probably WAY worse and to just keep my mouth shut.

    sometimes I don’t listen to myself, but that will come with time.

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