Splinters and Planks

Isn't it amazing how something so small, such as a splinter, can cause so much pain?  I mentioned the other day that a few of our kids had a stomach bug.  Well, I'm beginning to think it was more like a flu, and although I never got really sick, it made me feel "yuck" most all day yesterday and part of the day today.

Last night after getting home from three basketball games and not feeling too good, I sat down on our bed to rest for a little while.  I really was planning on getting up in a little while, but instead I fell asleep.  Around midnight I woke up and put on my pj's and noticed my big toe hurt.  Here it is - midnight - and I have felt "yuck" all day (head, stomach, stuffy nose) and my big toe hurts!  It felt like a splinter.  I hobbled around and found a straight pin and searched for the tiny splinter.  It was so tiny all I really saw was a little speck, but I got it out and by this morning the pain was mostly gone.

Sitting there trying to get that splinter made me think about the scripture Matthew 7:3-5:

"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? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Just like that little splinter became my focus last night, in the midst of those other seemingly more disturbing ailments, we often-times notice the little faults in others and neglect to see the bigger faults in ourselves.  Why do you suppose we are that way?  Is it because we don't want to see our own faults?  I think that most of the time that may be the case.  If we can find faults in others, we can build ourselves up.  We can think more highly of ourselves.  Our pride gets in the way of truth.

When we act this way, this scripture points out that we are being hypocrites.  And, I've mentioned before that the word hypocrit literally means to wear a mask.  We're putting on a front - putting on an act - pretending to be something we're not.

None of us are perfect.  We all make mistakes.  Splinters hurt our physical bodies for a short time.  A big "plank" in our eye, keeping us from seeing our own faults and sinful nature, will hurt our spiritual lives.

Have a great weekend, everyone!  And, watch out for splinters - and for planks!