The Splinter and The Log
The proverbial log in the eye and the splinter in the eye that Jesus spoke about is a very good lesson for humanity. Especially in our day of binary thinking. We’re always RIGHT and “they” are always WRONG.
The splinter in the eye represents a blind spot. We can often see what can’t be seen by the person or persons that oppose us. We can point out where they are missing it. We can tell them why they are wrong. We can try to explain what they are not seeing.
But I have found in my own life that when I have thought this way about others, I’ve later realized that I’ve had a log in my own eye. I had my own blind spots. And there were things I did not understand or see. As someone who could not or would not “see” from their perspective, it was nearly impossible for me to remove the blindspot from their eye. What we had was two opposing views, with each one not seeing what the other could see.
Jesus said that it's when you can remove the log from your own eyes is when you can clearly see. Until then, we are looking at things with a blockage. Unless I am willing to truly understand where the other side is coming from, then I am just as blind, if not more so, than the other party.
As I’ve accepted the fact that I may not know everything and that I may not be seeing everything clearly, it humbles me with the possibility that maybe I don’t have all the information. This makes me more willing to hear the other side. I don’t have to completely agree with them, but I can get a more full picture than what I was allowing myself to have before.
This gives me more understanding and compassion. It allows me to give grace and love to someone that I could not understand before. I’m realizing that God has a lot of understanding for us all. As the Bible says, He knows our frame. He knows that we are but dust and He understands.
When the person with the speck sees that I am willing to accommodate their viewpoint, they are more likely to open up to my perspective as well. When this happens, then the speck is also removed from their eye.
What Jesus was calling for was for someone to humble themselves and give up their “right” to be RIGHT for the sake of compassion, understanding and love. These are the more godly traits, more godly than just having a correct opinion. God loves people. God loves unity. God loves us all.
It is our prayer and belief that we will all continue to grow in empathy, grace and understanding so that humanity can begin to communicate in a good way. I have this hope for America and ultimately the world. God has a vision. All the earth will be filled with His goodness (see Habakuk 2:14). I feel like He is empowering us all to fulfill the greatest of all commissions which is to love one another, for God is love.