Few things are as disruptive, debilitating, yet diminutive as having something in your eye. We’ve all experienced the pain that it causes.

You might recall the squinting and tears that impaired your vision as you tried to get rid of the irritant. Almost ironically, though, is that the particle that causes such agony and vision problems, is usually quite tiny. Yes, it may be tiny, but that tiny thing is in no way trivial to the one who is in pain and can’t see well!

When we experience that circumstance, the significance of the particle is not found in its size but in its disruption. Whether it truly is as big as it feels (anything in the eye feels massive!) or if it is rather small, it is never comfortable in our lives or profitable for seeing clearly.

In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus uses the analogy of a person noticing a speck in someone else’s eye while failing to notice the beam of wood in his own eye. The point of the analogy is the hypocrisy that we show when we notice and try to correct the problems of others yet are blind to and ignoring of our own faults and sins. However, Jesus doesn’t teach people to simply “live and let live” or that people can’t help and even correct each other; for, in the analogy of something in the eye, it would be quite uncompassionate for people not to help each other with a painful and vision impairing speck!

What Jesus does teach is that there is a proper order, and it begins not with other peoples’ problems but with self. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are surrounded by critical people who are constantly pointing out each other’s specks. Many of them are governmental or even religious leaders who thrive on finding what is wrong with others, and the result is that there is no lessening of pain or clearer sight in our nation. We too can easily fall into that temptation, but when we listen to Jesus’ directive we find a better and truly profitable way of tackling the problems we see.

The key difference between Jesus’ teaching on this matter and what we hear and see modeled in our society is that Jesus has us begin with ourselves. We must analyze and address our sinfulness and shortcomings first (“First remove the beam from your own eye”); when we recognize and are addressing our own sinfulness, it is then that we can be ready to help others. Notice that Jesus does not tell people to ignore the problems around them (“then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”); but it must take place in the proper order in order to be profitable.

When we look at all the problems of the world and of others without considering self, it leads us to become despairing, judgmental, and disparaging as we address things from a point of anger; however when we recognize our own sinfulness and the depths of God’s grace for us, we can approach others in a gracious and helpful way out of love for them.

This “self-first” approach to righteousness is in keeping with the instructions that God gave to Israel when He began a relationship with them. In Deuteronomy 6:5-9, after giving them the foundation for their faith and living as a righteous community (there is only one God and one must have a loyal love for Him), God tells them that the key to maintaining this foundation as a society is personal reminders of God and His standards as well as teach them to their children.

Notice that God’s method for having a nation who will be on the right track begins in the home. It is not a national movement, another law put into place, or leaders who will enforce morality; if they wanted a righteous nation, God shows them that it begins in and flows from their own homes.

If you see problems in our own nation, if it seems like leaders and the general population are blind, and if all of the shouting, anger, and complaining is getting us nowhere, perhaps it is time to do things God’s way. Before we address the problems we see in others, let us first make sure our relationship with God is right; and when we see problems in our nation, let us correct it by intentionally focusing on God every day in our own families.

Pastor’s Podium

The Pastor’s Podium column is offered each week by a different pastor or lay person representing an Ellsworth County church.

The week’s columnist is Zach Ullom, pastor at the First Baptist Church, Lorraine.