Luke 6:41-42 (ESV) -- 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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see 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 out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

This story is a favorite for most people. We love to quote it anytime we see someone correcting someone else for sin or some fault. Folks are quick to retort, “Take the log out of your own eye.” This passage is certainly applicable to that situation. It calls out hypocrisy. But who’s hypocrisy does it call out? Ours. It’s not meant to be an attack passage we launch at others. It is intended to be a mirror that causes us to look at ourselves. 

We read from Luke 6:41-42, “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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see 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 out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” One of the first things we should acknowledge before we dive into the particulars is that this would have been funny. The listening crowds likely chuckled, or at minimum grinned, as Jesus taught this. The thought of someone calling out a speck of dust in someone’s eye when they themselves had an entire log hanging off their face is a hysterical thought. Jesus is purposefully appealing to this absurdity.

Why? Because we tend to see everyone else’s sin with 20/20 vision and tend to be Ray Charles when it comes to our own. The only things we lack are the sunglasses, seeing eye-dog, and the walking stick. We fail to see the depths of our own sins, but quickly notice it in others. This is a human problem. As sinful creatures, fallen by nature, we are experts at pinpointing sin in our neighbors, but esteem ourselves higher than we ought. We fail to remember that everyone else can see our sin as clearly as we see theirs. 

Jesus’ invitation through this passage is not to say we can never rebuke someone. We are instructed to do that. We are commanded to make judgments about people’s words, behaviors, and lives. The issue isn’t whether we can judge others, but how often we judge ourselves. Do we take the log out of our own eyes? Focusing on our own sins will help us not to be harsh with others or unmerciful. Instead, it helps us to recognize ourselves in them, and appreciate that we are in need of God’s grace just as much as they are.

Reflection & Journal:
- Why do we often use this passage to attack others instead of turning it toward ourselves as Jesus intended?
- Does this passage prevent us from dealing with sin in others?
- How are you personally challenged by this text?

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