Clear Eyes

Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.


Seeing the faults in others is easy, isn't it? We are so full of self that we can't help but look at others through our own selfish eyes. They are selfish eyes, aren't they? Or maybe it's just me who has selfish eyes, but somehow I doubt it. Do I like having selfish eyes? God forbid! I pray that all my selfishness is refined in the Holy Fire of the Holy Spirit so that I'm purged of it all. I need to have my eyes opened to see the beam in my own eyes. It's so easy to close our eyes to our own failings. Of course, there are those who love to dwell on their own failings, but they do so ironically enough, selfishly. There is a line and I'm not sure how fine a line it is, between realizing our selfish faults and dwelling on our selfish faults making that in itself a fault. Only by the grace of God can we ever hope to be saved and this is the most important lesson we have to learn. Recognizing our selfishness and all the faults that stem from that is important to realizing our dependence upon God.


Is it any wonder that we are told to stop looking for the FAULTS in others and start looking at the FAULTS in ourselves? How dare we presume to *FIX* others. Seriously. We think we are being helpful when we reveal to others where we think they could improve but it's more counterproductive than anything else. UNLESS a person is seeking help, UNLESS a person is receptive to being helped- when we presume to help them all they see is our arrogance. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Surely you've been in the situation before- someone offering to *help* you and you resent it. If you've not been in that situation you're a better person than I am by far. Also, I've been in the opposite situation. I've tried to help and been unable to help, and even if I say the words that I think people believe are almost magical, 'I'm only trying to help.' I could tell there was resentment there for my trying to help. I've had it thrown in my face on several occasions that 'just because I'm perfect…' which you know right away that the help is being resented and any help will do no good. Of course I'd counter with I'm not perfect, but that does about as much good as 'I'm only trying to help.' does.


Is there a conundrum then? Wanting to help but unable to help? I believe we should forever be *ready* to help anyone in anyway we can, but at the same time know better than to try and force our help upon anyone. We really HAVE to be humble and genuinely humble, not forced humble, not falsely humble. Christ has to be working in us, all glory has to go to God.


Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.


First we HAVE to look to ourselves but NOT selfishly, but to NOTE our selfishness, to note our intentions, to note that we are fully dependent upon our Savior. What good would it do for us take any beams or motes out of anyone's eyes if our own are filled with them? We need to see clearly, we need to see selflessly if we want to help anyone else. As long as we have our eyes filled- clouded by the faults we possess- we cannot help anyone. No, this doesn't mean when we are called on to help someone we shouldn't do so, but we need to do so praying for the grace of God to help us help only in ways that will be for His glory and in no other way. We can't actively strive to help another imposingly, ever.

By the grace of God may we do His will and only His will, not our own! May we be filled with the Holy Spirit able to get the beams out of our eyes so that we may help others as He wills.
In His love always!


Amen.