Live in the Lord's Blessings

Matthew 7:3-5 “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? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
 
THE overall meaning of this passage continues on from Jesus’ “do not judge” sermon point in Mathew 7:1-2. Jesus’ masterful preaching uses a log in the eye as a painful illustration of how we are often too focused on others’ sins to see the size and burden of our own sins. 
   He chooses the eye because the eye critically gazes on others. You look to see what someone else is doing or not doing with an attitude of reproof or superiority. Our sinful hearts tell the eye, “Look and mark the wrongs you see and ignore the right things the person does.” We can have this “log in the eye” look against our spouse, our children, our neighbors and our church. The sinful heart sees intently into others’ lives to expand their faults. This helps us feel whole and justified in contrast to “that sinner”.
   Jesus personally knew the eyes of judgment from the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He knew the ruling Jews’ eyes were laced with logs, judging his every word, stopping their ears and blinding unbelief to their hearts. They even saw Jesus’ miracles as the devil’s work. He also received the look of disdain and judgment from many in his hometown (Luke 4:28-29).
   How do we to obey Jesus’ teaching to remove the log? Once more, let’s look back to Jesus’ blessings. “Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Receive these blessings from the LORD God. They come to you in his inspired Holy Word, so you know how to cut out the criticisms, judgment and unforgiveness from your heart, mind and soul. Be poor in spirit to consider your own sins and repent. Mourn others’ sins to correct them in love. Be merciful to forgive. Make peace as you show the ways of Christ Jesus. Be blessed as you rejoice the Lord calls you to himself. Be thankful you have life in the Spirit’s power to bless others as Jesus has done for you: Acts 3:26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.
   Blessings in your eye leave no room for logs.