Read: “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?” (Matthew 7:3).

Examine: Jesus started ministry by teaching practical life, sermon on the mount. During the teaching, Jesus taught us that we judge others. Following are the words of Jesus… “Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, 2 for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? How dare you say to your brother, ‘Please, let me take that speck out of your eye,’ when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“Do not give what is holy to dogs—they will only turn and attack you. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs—they will only trample them underfoot.

Application: This passage is part of the Beatitudes, (The Sermon on the Mount) which encompass the greater part of Matthew 5-7). Matthew 4:25 tells us great crowds followed Jesus from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. When He saw them, He went up on the nearby mountain and preached. Throughout the sermon, Jesus spoke of the characteristics of the blessed and He told the people who they were to be and how they were to act.

Isn’t this a conundrum we all face? As much then as now, we need these words of Jesus to guide our lives. In this passage, Jesus addressed judgment when it’s used to condemn others. We are indeed to discern within the church, but condemnation (vengeance too) belongs to the Lord alone. We can’t see past our own sinful pride as we regard the (perceived) sins of others.

Therefore, our Lord reminds us to look at ourselves first, and in the light of our sinless Savior, we all fall short of exemplary and sinless lives. The Apostle Paul spoke of the Lord’s grace throughout his epistles, often greeting his readers with “grace to you…from the Lord Jesus Christ” and ending with a grace-filled doxology such as, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Romans 16:20). As we consider others, remember God’s grace toward us and the grace with which we are to regard others.

Decision: Lord unless I hit rock bottom, Lord all my discerns might lead to judgements, thank you for all the rock bottom situations that you allow, that teaches us the great lesson on humility, compassion and mercy.