CWW Week 23 – Day 4 – Dealing With Sin 

Look at ourselves first.

Matthew 7:3 (NKJV)

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?”

This verse is part of a larger passage where Jesus teaches about judgment and self-awareness, emphasising the importance of addressing our own faults before criticising others.

We can all be very quick to judge others can’t we?

The sign at the top of our driveway at our home reads no judgement beyond this point. People love it when they come to visit because they feel that the sign projects the spirit of where and how we live.

If only they knew how many times that sign screams at me when I drive past it. It haunts me because it speaks to my very judgemental nature and I am challenged by it every day.

We are all God’s children and He wants to redeem each and every one of us…yes no one is excluded from God’s grace. He wants us to take a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves before doing the same in arrogance when we judge others.

If we judge the inference is clear. We don’t know the pain that drives the behaviour that we are judging and we act in a self righteous way that says that sin is somehow exclusive to others and not ourselves.

But we continue to do it. I continue to do it, and I need that character defect sorted quickly.

It’s difficult when we see the wrong done to others in this world and pretend it’s not happening. Sin thrives when people of good will do nothing as we have said. We are called on to face evil and stand in courage. But this verse should temper our approach and make us more compassionate.

Before we can hold the judges gavel in the trials of others, we need to carefully examine our own misadventures.

The shining example came from Jesus when the woman was about to be stoned. Jesus walked up between the woman and all the men who were holding the stones, and he drew a line in the sand. What He wrote in the sand is unclear but He sure got their attention.

Then He said to them, “Let He who has no guilt cast the first stone.”

They all dropped their rocks and walked away. To the woman He said, “Now go and sin no more.”

Scripture tells us that she did sin at least seven more times and each time she was forgiven because her repentance was recorded.

Scripture also tells us what Jesus thinks in Matthew 18:21-22.

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Sin can be dealt with. We need to continue the work of character development and grow in our faith along the way remembering that “we all fall short of the glory of God.”

Questions.

1. Have you ever been judge and jury in someone else’s trial while your own case is pending?
2. Can you frame each assessment of others through the lens of todays scripture?
3. How big is the plank in your own eye and are you ready to enlist the help of Jesus in it’s removal?

Prayer.

Dear Lord, Papa God.

Am I so blind that I cannot see my own shortcomings? Yes Papa I am but I am ready to have you remove all my defects of character and the plank in my own eye. Rid me of this blindness Papa and help me to see the power of your grace and share it with others. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Have a great day with Jesus.

Graham Hood.