“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”. (Matthew 7:3-5, RSV)
The word “respect” comes from the Latin meaning “to look again”, or “to look back” (re = “again”; specere = “look at”). Sometimes, my first “looking” at a person is just a surface one: a snap judgement, a quick evaluation, perhaps even an assumption that I know the underlying motivation of a particular behavior (even though I’m frequently wrong about that). Clearly, I need to “look again”, look deeper and see beneath the surface. I need to see the individual who’s likely trying to do the best she can at the moment given her particular history, weaknesses, experiences, etcetera. I need to give her what I would want for myself: patience, mercy and, above all, a willingness to look again for a different way to understand.
That doesn’t mean I should never regard a particular action as wrong, immoral, or sinful. These days, you hear people quoting Jesus’ earlier statement – “judge not lest you be judged” – and they mean, “You can’t tell me that what I’m doing is wrong!”. As sensitive Christians, we can feel inhibited by that, and fearful of being accused of being hateful or bigoted.
What those who say this fail to understand is that I’m not the one who’s making the “rules”, God is. He alone has that right, for he alone created each of us, holds each in existence, and loves each one beyond all telling. My calling from God, even knowing well his commandments, might still not be to correct, and it’s certainly not to lecture, demand, or pontificate. I must try to remember the saying: “People don’t care what you think until they think that you care”. First I must strive to see well, and exhibit God’s love by “looking again” at them with his mercy.
So – may I ever say anything when I see someone doing something clearly wrong, immoral or sinful? Yes, but only if my “eye” is cleared of those “logs” of my own sinful failures, failures to act with self-sacrificing love and generous kindness. Too often, my pride is the biggest “log”, the one most needing to be removed so that my blindness can be healed. I don’t want to be be one of the “hypocrites” Jesus talks about, a “Pharisee” who pretends to know everything and feigns to live perfectly.
If I cooperate with God’s ongoing, faithful, transforming work in me, perhaps then I can actually “see” clearly enough so I can be a real help to another. We know that our God uses imperfect people like us to accomplish his mission in the world. For his desire is that all will come to know the saving work of Jesus Christ, and be enabled to live in life-giving friendship with him, now and forever.
Lessons From Love School 