Plank in the Eye-Ouch!

Or there but for the grace of God go I.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5 NIV

“Don’t judge a man by where he is, because you don’t know how far he has come.” C. S. Lewis

Joyce Hanscom Holzman’s list of what a healthy Christian looks like is worth placing on a mirror or another spot you frequent. It’s a terrific way to remove the plank from our eyes.

1. Can love others without judgment.
2. Has a healthy self-worth and gives all shame and guilt to God.
3. Being able to regulate your emotions like sadness and joy.
4. Can give grace to messy people who frustrate them and are unaffected by their opinions.
5. Giving to people, not being selfish, and not expecting others to conform to their expectations.
6. Maintains hope in God despite life’s setbacks.
7. Takes responsibility for their emotions and actions, and do not blame others.
8. Is not fearful but trusts God.
9. Identifies wrong beliefs and adopts God’s truth for their beliefs.
10. Is empathetic toward others.
11. Is comfortable being alone and with others

For more helpful steps, visit Joyce’s Hope for Complete Healing website.

We miss the beauty of repentance and reconciliation when we don’t acknowledge our sins. Throughout the Bible and daily life, when someone repents, their lives become an inspiring story of victory and humility. Not overnight, perhaps, but it comes.

 Musings

“What we avoid will tyrannize.”Think of Cain and Abel. Think of addictions. Think of multiple divorces. Bankruptcies. We must turn around and let the Father put us back onto the road of reconciliation, mercy, compassion, and growth.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank You for repentance, which restores us to right relations with You, ourselves and others. It humbles, educates, and brings us closer to You. We can work on our blind spots when we consider how very much You love us through our Advocate, Jesus.

Amen.