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?
Everyone we meet has flaws and weaknesses, but everyone has good qualities too.
Today’s scripture encourages us not to criticize other people’s imperfections without first looking at our own weaknesses. If we concentrate on the areas in which we need to improve ourselves, we probably won’t have time to judge other people for their flaws.
When we think about ways we need to grow and change, we need to do it in a healthy way. Some people are overly concerned about their weaknesses, to the point that they become obsessed with fixing them. For example, some people feel they are overweight and become obsessed with losing weight to the point that they develop eating disorders. Some people face criticism or even punishment for talking too much, so they reach a point that they become excessively quiet and withdrawn. When I mention strengthening ourselves in our areas of weakness, I am not talking about going to extremes, but about making changes as the Holy Spirit leads us, and He always leads us in ways that are healthy and balanced. Is there an area of your life in which you need to be changed and strengthened? Ask God to help you today.
Prayer of the Day: Father, help me to appropriately assess my weaknesses, not so I can obsess over them, but so I can become stronger in those areas as You lead me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
