Planks and Specks

Its weird how a certain day or week can have a theme to it. For example a few weeks ago I was bombarded by people going through difficult times. People where coming to me with the difficulty they were facing for prayer and encouragement. It just seemed like everyone was anxious about things and lacked contentment. For the past few days the theme has been complaining about others or pointing out fault in others. It appears that some Christians have a hard time dealing with each other, go figure.

As I replayed, in my mind (that's what pastors do; we replay over and over the difficult things we face in ministry) the conversations I had in people's homes and over the phone I realized something. Most of us are flamming hypocrites! Many of the people I talked to were mad or upset because others where judging them and treating them unfairly. They had no trouble pointing out the flaws in other; seeing the speck in their eyes, thats how Jesus put it. Yet none of the people I spoke with could see the plank in their own eye. Most of these kind people were doing the same thing to others that they where accussing others of doing to them; they where passing judgement and as a result they where harboring agression and bitterness.

I wonder why it is that we can see the wrong of others but we can't see the wrong in ourselves. Why can't we see the forest for the trees? As much as I dislike visits and talks filled wiht negativity, I did learn something valuable. If I spent half as much time looking at and examining myself as I do examining others, I would be a much better man of God.