The Speck and the Plank

The Speck and the Plank

“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck out of your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

“If therefore your eye is well, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is sick, your whole body will be full of darkness.” Ch. 6:22-23.

“But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:9-11.

John writes about love and about hate—not about anything in between. Either our heart’s attitude is among those who love their brother and are therefore in the light, or it is in the other group that hates their brother and is in darkness.

It is therefore your heart’s attitude that determines whether your eye is well or sick. If we are to categorize it fully, we can ask: “To which group does anger, impatience, bitterness, etc., belong? Do these belong to the love group or to the hate group?” You will get a clear understanding of it by reading 1 Corinthians 13.

“Judge not that you be not judged.” By nature we differ considerably in how we conduct ourselves. We get a good understanding of this when we read in Colossians 3:11 how God has chosen people from such widely dissimilar backgrounds. We come together with different understandings, opinions, and feelings. If we do not understand how to walk in love, so that we forgive one another, Satan who is the accuser of our brethren will get plenty of bridgeheads from which he can launch his attacks.

Is your eye well when you judge? Are you then abiding in love? Is your entire body light? In other words, are you completely happy? Jesus relates the parable about the unmerciful servant after He had answered Peter: Not seven times, but seventy times seven times. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matt. 18:21-35.

When we forgive from the heart, there is no more taking offense, bitterness, or impatience. We are truly glad. The entire body is light. When Jesus says, “Seventy times seven” each day, you may think He is exaggerating, but when we think of how different we can be, we understand it better. You are a “Jew” and work together with a “barbarian” or a “Scythian.” Then his entire person—his nature—is an offense to you, and vice versa. If, then, you do not act according to what Paul says further in Colossians 3:12-15, you cannot stand him. You will end up judging and criticizing him (in any case in your heart) all day long. You are thinking of one thing and another about him that you want to correct. But he is what he is as a human being. He is not evil. That is the way he is. Perhaps there are things that need to be corrected, but they are only a speck when compared to the fact that you are evil and cannot bear him. Your malice and conceit is the “plank” in your eye. Your body is in darkness, and you are not happy. How can you possibly draw the speck out of your brother’s eye—correct him—as long as you have a plank in your own eye!? “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye”; forgive him and love him, so that your eye is healthy and your entire body is light—you will be thoroughly happy. Then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Only then and then alone can the situation improve, so that you can remove the speck from your brother’s eye.