Real Assistance

Today I am focusing on the 'why' and 'how' in this next passage... "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? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log 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 ESV I never liked this passage. The wording always throws me off. How can you have a log (Strong's G1385 - dokos). The Greek word actually talks about a beam which is a structural building block also made out of wood. If my wife or friend has something in their eye and I see it before they realize it is there what would be my motivation for telling her? He eye is in danger and I see it... if I act quickly I might avert a bigger problem. Shouldn't i act? We have blind spots. Why do we even see other people's problems? Our blindness clearly isn't complete. Our lack of complete vision allows us to see enough that we diagnose but not enough to provide a good solution. The beam (structure of our value system) blocks us. How do we get the beam out of eye? We must abandon our structure and get outside. Wow. That is quite a challenge. I see abortion clinics as a perfect example of this principle. Altruistic people who are blinded by their own structure trying to help but really they are hurting the individual and society. The cure is worse than the disease. God must help us remove the beam. We must leave our small circles for seasons to even see the structure we are so used to that it is invisible to us. Only then can we be of service to others. History shows us that blinded people justify the murder of others as a way to help society. Grace and mercy must move us outside. If it doesn't even our kindnesses become cruel. --