Last week I turned into the parking lot for a pastor’s conference in Long Beach. The lot was set up with one-way rows for travel and parking. As I started to find a spot, immediately I noticed a car coming right at me, and since it was a one-way, we didn’t have much room at all to pass one another. I immediately thought to myself, “Idiot California drivers, they can’t go down a one-way correctly.” But then I looked at the arrow on the pavement and noticed the direction of the parked cars. I realized that I’m the idiot Wisconsin driver, who can’t go down the right way.
Jesus knows this about us, and that is why he teaches us to do something that doesn’t come too natural to us. He teaches that when we are in a conflict with others, we need to look first at ourselves. Jesus teaches us that often times, we have a log in our own eye, while we are trying to help take a speck out of someone else’s eye. Too often, we are very aware of someone else’s faults and very unaware of our own. So Jesus says, “First take the log out of your own eye” (Matthew 7.5).
Jesus is protecting us from hypocrisy. I know I have been a hypocrite and I am tempted to hypocrisy. Please don’t take offense at this, but so are you.
He doesn’t want you or me to live hypocritical lives. The good news is that he has come to save us from hypocrisy. He died in our place for our hypocrisy, and he rose again, so we can learn to be people of humble integrity.
He knows you perfectly and he loves you as you are. Ask Jesus to protect you from hypocrisy. Ask him to continue to create integrity in your life.
Invite him or her to help you get the log out.
They are the core element of Faith Community’s discipleship, and we'd love to help you get connected with a Missional Community:
Stop by the Connection Center after a Sunday morning service to get connected with a Missional Community or visit fcchudson.com or the Faith Base app to learn more.