Matthew 7:5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
As we look at this verse, we always seem to look at it as one man looking at another man, And why not, it is the proper context of course. Jesus at this moment speaking to the masses, and talking about improper judging of another. So let's address the judging issue first, as we all know this is going to come up in conversation.
The word used here In the verses prior), most properly translated "do not judge" is a word that means not to judge right from wrong. In the application of today's post-modern view of mankind, this is most important. Jesus is saying fairly clearly that there is no such thing as 'situational ethics', where something is right (or wrong) for you, but not for me or someone else. He is saying that there is one right, and one right only. This is upheld all throughout scripture in no uncertain terms as God clearly defines His Word as absolute truth. HE (no one else) is THE Way, TRUTH, and Life. His word is the final Word. So in the end, it is not that we are not to judge people's actions (as even later on in this book Jesus addresses the fact that we are to look at people's 'fruit' as a sign of their salvation) but rather two things must be considered:
- That if we are to judge people's actions, that it is to be judged against GOD'S Word, not personally developed standards.
- That before we judge others actions, we must first look at our own and see that we are not approaching this fruit inspection from a hypocritical point of view - considering strongly that we are just as equally sinners saved by the grace of God. We must never go before God as a hypocrite.
With that said, I want us to consider something else now. What if this is a conversation directly between you and God? What if it were God Himself saying to you, "judge not", or that He tells you to "remove the plank from your eye"? This changes the situation, and makes it not only a lot more intimate, but a lot more critical a situation. It becomes a condition demanding immediate corrective action on your part, and a serious period of self reflection. The alternatives of not doing so are serious and eternal.
We spend so much time in this world literally just spinning our wheels. Like so many people, I spend time on Facebook®, I have hobbies, I have pass-times, and down-times. I'm not here to tell you that those things in and of themselves are bad. Not at all. But in them, where is your focus? What is the focal point of your hobby? What are your goals when you share your status on Facebook®? What is your focus in your down time, or when you are involved in your pass-time? If it is not Christ, and closing the gap between His perfection and your sinfulness, it is time to reevaluate.
I spent part of my evening the other night in what some would call "intense fellowship" with my children and the condition of the basement. It's a mess. We seem to agree that we all play a role in its condition, and constructive action has been taken make amends. But in the mean time, one son (who for the most part would rather see things thrown away) began to point out things of mine in the basement. "When is the next time we are going to use this? When's the last time you used that? What are you keeping this for? We do we need this for..." and the list went on and on.
The picture that was physically painted was one of "stuff". Too much stuff, and time to get rid of some of it. After the night to sleep on it, the picture that was exposed to me from a spiritual standpoint, was one of focus. In other words, it was not the fact that I have stuff, but rather WHY do I have this stuff?
I'm a former professional musician. I have two guitars that I never play. I have two drum kits that I very rarely play. I have a couple of boxes of old vinyl record albums and 45's. I have sound equipment. I have some DJ equipment. I have tools I rarely use. I am a decorated combat Infantry veteran and have retained a lot of my old gear and 'stuff' of which I basically never use. I am a firearms lover and hunter, and I have a lot of guns and associated 'stuff'. I collect, restore and resell old smoking pipes as a hobby with my sons. Again, it is not that I have this stuff, it is the role that it plays ion my life.
If I found any of this stuff in your basement, or the basement of my Senior Pastor Chuck Lind, or the basement of Billy Graham, John Wesley, Martin Luther or Paul the Apostle it would not send up even the slightest hint of a red flag. It is not the stuff - it is the focus I have on this stuff, and the fact that my focus on this stuff, as slight as some of it is, takes my focus of Jesus. And if I take my focus off Jesus for just one minute, that's one minute too much. When my focus is in the world, I am at risk of deception.
For me, it is time for a spiritual Yard Sale. I need to seriously reevaluate this stuff, and determine how much focus I have on it. I need to determine whether that focus is one that can be used to improve my job as a husband, father or pastor, and whether or not it brings me closer to Jesus, or distracts me from Him. If it is the former, it stays. If it is the latter, it has got to go.
I'll spare you the list of things that are going and things that are staying. You might be surprised what has to go. I might be surprised at what has to go. More keenly, I need to be willing to let it go.
The issue is this; if we truly love Jesus, if we truly believe that we are living in the last days (which I certainly do), if our eternity with Jesus is as important to us as it should be, we should be using the example of the 12 year old Jesus when He was found in the temple, and be about the Father's business! Time is FAR too short to be caught up distracted by the things of the world. And folks, the great deception is upon us. We must be constantly aware that Satan is lurking to steal us away.
Naturally, a great deal must go into the decision making process as to what to do with your 'things' as you consider your own spiritual yard sale. John the Baptizer said, "I must decrease so that He can increase", and truer words have not been spoken. Perhaps ultimately, if you cannot not manage to somehow make Jesus increase while you are enjoying life, in your pastimes and hobbies then there is a bigger heart issue to consider.
I do not have all the answers. I don't profess to, never have, and never will. The day I do, you all need to stop reading anything that I write and tell all your friends to do the same because I've gone off my rocker. What I can tell you is what God has done in my life, and how He has allowed me to see things a little differently. God opened the eyes of my heart to see my relationship with Him, verses my relationship I have with my life in this worlds, and my stuff. We must be 100% sold out to Jesus. Nothing must be allowed to get between us.
My life in this temporal world, as much as I want to make it so, is not mine. It is His. I have been bought with price, a very high price. My life is no longer my own. My eternity is owned by the One who paid the price. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit helps us all remember that is true. The freedom we have as believers is the freedom to love and serve Jesus without any reservation.
Examine your life. Examine what stuff steals your time from serving Jesus. Take it to the Father in humble prayer and simply ask Him what must go into your spiritual yard sale.
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