Whittling Logs into Serving Trays
Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you look at 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,’ and behold, the log is 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.
We all are prone to logs in the eyes, in fact some of us may have whole forests and not even know it! It is so much easier to “see” someone else’s faults. We tend to compare ourselves to others in order to know how well we are doing. There are momentary good feelings when we determine we aren’t as bad as others. In our imagination we believe that God’s judgement is based upon the “average” grade of all His children. If there are others who do worse, than we aren’t in as much danger of failing to meet His requirements. We become hypocrites when it comes to judging because we pretend to be the gold standard.
The problem?
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
This form of competitive grading is a human invention. And I will agree that a lot of parents employ this competitive method among siblings. But our value should never be attached to a system that is based upon yours or anyone else’s actions.
I understand the need to assess the quality of tasks and actions but the comparison of people to each other adds subjective conclusions too easily made with bias. Unfortunately this subjective judgement pretends to be done without malice but lacks any awareness of the danger it introduces to the participants. The only thing it ultimately accomplishes is division and wounding. What we “intend” as encouragement to do our best can scar and blind people from seeking &/or believing in what is best.
God’s love is unconditional. Based entirely on His choice to love you, the one whom He created.
Psalm 139:14-18 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
God’s judgement is based on His perfect knowledge of His creation.
We don’t have the qualities or qualifications to judge so let’s take any and all logs out of our eyes before ministering to others.
As humans we are prone to logs, but if you cannot distinguish those in your eyes let me just suggest a few examples.
You may have a log in your eye if…
You start all conversations with your assessment of how things are &/or should be.
You see the potential sin in every action.
You point out dangerous characteristics that need to be changed.
Perfection is the standard and nothing else is good enough.
You are the chief “whistle-blower” in your congregation.
You quote Scripture with a tone that depicts our Abba as an uncaring, rigid, unforgiving task master.
Identify your log… But let’s not stop at identifying and taking the logs out, let’s use the logs to whittle them into our serving tray.
Start whittling!
Ephesians 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
When you approach Scripture in your own life, let the Holy Spirit teach, apply and cause it to produce God’s fruit. It will not return void.
Speaking… How does Abba speak to you? The Truth… Not your version of truth but God’s (If you need help with this part please don’t hesitate to seek solid counsel.)… In love… God IS love so we need to love like He does!
Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear… study and store up words that edify!
Ephesians 5:19-20 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father… Keep a song in your heart and sing at the top of your lungs!
Instead of standing in our preferred position of slave foreman, let’s assume the position of laborer in the field so that we may join in the celebration of the harvest.
Let’s fill our trays and serve… Let’s fill them with Christ!
Jesus says, John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Let’s fill our trays with abundant life and good news!
Let’s make beautiful serving trays… let’s become an artist of trays!
We must change our approach to our own life. We must stop comparing ourselves and others and we must focus our minds (and hearts and souls) on God so that we might begin to bear the family resemblance.
Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
You will be an artist of encouragement in no time!
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible