Daily Devotional

Specks and Planks

By Tanya S. Martin-James
This week's topic: Examine Yourself

Airing people’s personal laundry seems to have become an epidemic that most people get involved in on some level. As soon as the media (or an alleged insider) breaks the news, it spreads like wild fire through phone calls, emails, texts, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, etc. Seemingly no one is exempt – we gravitate to the stories of the corrupt politician, adulterous minister, divorcing celebrity or whoever is presently under attack.

By no means am I pointing fingers at anyone because I too have given my share of “Oh my goodness,” “Did they really do that,” “I can’t believe it,” “I always knew something wasn’t right,” and “They should be ashamed of themselves – I would never …” It’s funny how easy it is to get so caught up in the details of someone else’s life. We discuss them with our friends, family, coworkers and social media friends as they unfold. Or we make our own speculations on how we think it will unfold. Often, we have completely crucified the targeted person without even having all the details. We point out their lack of commitment, integrity, moral values, trust, etc. We decide what and how their actions should affect their lives, relationships, jobs and positions. We quickly become the judge and the juror.

But what if …

What if for one week, one day or even one hour all the media cameras were tuned into our lives? What if they were able to reveal the most intimate details of both our words and actions? What if the covers were pulled off our hidden sins and exposed them for the entire world to evaluate?

I’m sure we would be quick to come up with an answer, reason and excuse for everything we’ve done.
I’m sure we would expect instant forgiveness – because at the end of the day, we are all human, right?
I’m sure we would immediately start campaigning for people’s trust and respect for us to be restored in spite of whatever we’ve done.

Isn’t it interesting how when the tables are turned, our reaction to the news breaking story makes a 180 degree turn? We need to stop spending all our energy pointing out the faults of everyone else and take regular moral inventory in our own lives. Exert just as much time and passion in getting our own lives in order than we do telling others what they should and should not do.

I’m not suggesting that we don’t hold our Christian brothers and sisters accountable for their actions. However, I am suggesting that we spend more time taking a look within than we do taking a look at others.

Let’s all begin dealing with our own “planks” before we point out everyone else’s “specks.” The scriptures are clear on this subject:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me remove the speck from 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 from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

Scripture Of The Day: "And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” - Matthew 7:3 (NKJ)

Tanya Martin James is the author of From Promiscuity to Proverbs 31: Getting Off the Fence of Sexual Immorality and Coffee Moments: A Work in Progress http://www.armedanddangerous.biz She also blogs at http://www.mycoffeemoments.com

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