“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 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?” Matthew 7:3-4
It’s confession time. Now, this is going to sting a bit but just bear with me. I’m going to take a deep breath and please feel free to do the same before you read on. Now, exhale.
It all started last week. Someone that I consider a good friend said something to me that I took offense to. I thought that it was hurtful and thoughtless. The person was completely clueless as to how upset I was too. I let it go for the moment and kept it safely hidden away in my mind. Later, as I was in prayer, the memory of what was said earlier popped into my mind. The enemy likes to use those things that we think we have hidden to distract us. This eventually led to other memories of hurtful things other people said.
I was thoroughly into a tirade of self-righteous indignation when the Lord stopped me. He calmly and gently said, ” I hear you daughter but have you noticed that big two by four in your eye?”
“Ouch!”
He continued on by saying, “do you know how many times you’ve said something stupid and no one called you out? Do you know how many times your words have hurt someone? Do you know how many times other people have shown you mercy and still love you even in spite of yourself? Do you know how many times I have shown you mercy? Beloved, you need to love and show mercy to others, just as I have shown you love and mercy. ”
“Double ouch!”
It’s time to get the planks out of my eye. What about you?
Balm 4 the Soul 
Amen! This is so true Tammy. Some times we fail to think before we speak. What’s in your heart and/or what’s in you will come out. So, if hurtful things comes out that’s how you feel. It’s not what goes into a person that defiles them, it’s what comes out. We have to put ourselves in that person shoes and ask ourselves how would I feel if that was said or done to me.
Wonderful message! The next time I get upset with something someone says or does, I’ll try and remember I’m not perfect and I too say things that offend others. Thanks again for the timely message. Keep up the good writing, Tam.