BLINDED BY JUDGING
(Tuesday, October 3)
“And He spoke a parable to them: ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.’” (Lk 6:39-42)
I never realized the connection between “the blind leading the blind” and being judgmental of others, until reading today’s Gospel this morning. Don’t we often slip into focusing on the wrongs of “the others,” often with anger (which I wrote about yesterday, because of yesterday’s Epistle), while neglecting our own disturbed state of heart-and-mind? I think it’s especially tempting in our time, to become very self-assured about having the “right” opinion, being in the “right” church, and on the “right” side of political issues, even while not taking pause to be right with God and in sync with His grace. This is a matter of the heart, and it takes a bit of daily and hourly work. It’s not enough, to be a card-carrying member of this or that “right” group, because we can be talking and acting non-stop in its interests, even while being empty inside, or being an emotional and spiritual mess. And this obscures our vision, so we can’t “see clearly” the others in our midst, the “specks” in the eyes of whom we might want removed.
This morning let me take a few moments for some prayer and contemplation, tending to my heart, and handing over to God the plank in my own eye. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me… I shall teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You.” (Ps 50: 10,13) Lord, please help all of us through our various pain, anger, fears, and blind spots, this Tuesday, by Your abundant grace.
