Parables of Jesus- Specks & Logs

To set this up, preview a video a friend of mine made here. 

"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? 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 7:3-5

I think we can all relate with the fact we sit in a Sunday service and hear a convicting message, but then start thinking, "geez, too bad so-n-so isn't hearing this." Or we decide how we'll strategically place the verses used on our facebook page so those less than perfect friends will see them and hopefully change their evil ways. Or we get into a conflict with someone and instead of looking at how we contributed to the problem, we immediately start considering every little thing (related or unrelated) with the other person we're mad at and hate. "I can't believe so-n-so won't clean up her work messes...uhg! And she is a cat person. I totally can't stand cat people!" The worst part is our work mess is probably bigger, but we don't see it because we've grown so used to it, plus we probably have a cat too.

We won't grow if we're busy pointing out everyone else's faults, and according to Matthew 7, we will be judged more harshly for judging others. I think sometimes people misinterpret the word "evangelism". Some see it as finding a person to "change" or to provide "direction" to so that "you" may bring them to the Lord. The problem with this is that God makes the change and He provides the Hope for them. If you don't see yourself on a level playing field as you do the next person, the one who hasn't found Jesus, then you have some work to do. We all have specks and logs in our eyes.

The woman caught in adultery and her story is a great reminder of this concept for us all. As she is shamefully drug out to the middle of the road and accused by Pharisees and Religious Leaders. Even though these religious ones knew this was a sin indeed, they still were using this woman to trap Jesus into saying the "wrong" things so they could use it against Him. But Jesus, the One Who had indeed shared about specks and logs brought this concept into play told the crowd to stone her, as this was the punishment of the day, but for the one who had never sinned to go first. He gave this woman grace, and He gave the Pharisees truth, just what each of them needed.

This illustration Jesus uses has to beg some questions of each of us. We all have work to do. We all have a log in our eyes. We all to an extent see the specks in everyone else's eyes, because we are insecure. We don't want people to see our faults, so we point out others' faults. We may say passive aggressive things to the person who annoys us. We may get into conflicts and think it is ALL the other person's fault. Everyone is a critic in life. We all are insecure, and if we are confident, we are still seeing faults. Don't fool yourself. Humble yourself and start doing some checking into your own life. Start applying sermons to yourself. Start finding ways to change your heart before your go around trying to Bible-beat everyone else. This indeed says a lot about a person.

Scripture to Read:
Matthew 7:1-6, John 8:1-11

Questions to Ponder:
When has been a time you felt like judging someone, or did judge someone? Why do you think you felt this way?
When has been a time you felt judged or were judged? How did you feel?
What do you think Jesus would say in the case of your life being drug out into the middle of the road to be judged? What about to the people you want to judge?