A Speck of Truth

This morning I mowed our front and back lawn. I’ve been mowing yards since it was my first job at the age of 10 (when I could hand over a quarter and fill my gas can). I’ve always enjoyed so much about this kind of work: figuring out how to geometrically divide the lawn around bushes and buildings to use my time most efficiently, the smell of freshly mown grass, and the “think time.”

Today I thought about so many “issues” that divide our country: homosexuality, abortion, mutilating children in the name of gender realignment. I thought about how God is life, light, and love. Our Father gives us all the good things in life.

The Devil tries to counterfeit these things. Lucifer, now fallen for his pride, offers death, darkness, and desire. Unborn children are killed and sold for a profit. The children who do survive are cast by well-meaning teachers and “doctors” into mental darkness where they don’t even believe that they are what God made them at birth. Men and women forsake the joys of Christian marriage and desire same-sex relationships that are fraught with spiritual, mental, physical hurt.

I realized that I am not involved in such heinous activities. But I also remembered that, each day, I live amidst the “courses of this world” and must stay on guard against the adversary’s attacks. One sin that I have committed in times past is to become judgmental. Rather than looking for God’s solution backed up with the power I have in Christ—I have looked at things with a “natural” perspective and missed the mark. That’s why I now take off my “speck-tacles” and check for any “planks” in my own eye.

Luke 6:41,42 [New Testament in Modern English]:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’ when you cannot see the plank in your own? You fraud, take the plank out of your own eye first and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother’s speck.”

Our eyes are designed to look ahead of our faces at the world around us. We notice many things about the people we meet: their physical shape, clothing, posture, attitude. And it’s easy to pass judgment based on what we see. But that’s not how to see things properly.

I Samuel 16:7:
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature…for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

We don’t want to be what Jesus called “frauds.” So, how do I see a person’s heart? He went on to explain.

Luke 6:43-45: [New Testament in Modern English]:
“It is impossible for a good tree to produce bad fruit – as impossible as it is for a bad tree to produce good fruit. Do not men know what a tree is by its fruit? You cannot pick figs from briars, or gather a bunch of grapes from a blackberry bush! A good man produces good things from the good stored up in his heart, and a bad man produces evil things from his own stores of evil. For a man’s words will always express what has been treasured in his heart.”

Jesus said that one way to see a person’s “heart” is by their words. I remember learning this at the fish market in Seattle one day. I came upon a conservatively dressed man, who by all appearances fit the stereotype of a married professional. But after talking with him, I realized that there was something spiritually wrong. His words and lack of humility were obvious. So, we parted ways.

Not long after, I met another man who had the mannerisms associated with the gay community. At first, he seemed a bit fearful. But the more we talked, the more we warmed up to each other. I saw great love and humility in this man’s words and actions. I was able to share many things about what God has done for us through His Son, and the man was thankful to hear them. We prayed that he could find answers to his many problems.

I’ve always found it interesting when flying that adults put on their oxygen masks before their children. Parents must make sure that they are “healthy” before they can ensure their child’s health. The same is true with our thoughts. We must be meek and make sure that we are doing God’s will before we go around looking to improve mankind.

Galatians 6:1-5:
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
For every man shall bear his own burden.

Once we have checked ourselves for “planks,” we may be able to see any specks that others need help with. Let’s take time each day to go to the Father and thank Him for the forgiveness we have in Christ. Then we can speak up and help others find that same forgiveness where they need it.

Ephesians 4:32 [Net Testament in Modern English]:
Be kind to each other, be understanding. Be as ready to forgive others as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.