It’s easy to get into the mode of “I’m this and you’re not.” It certainly happened (to my shame) in my marriage. It has happened (to my shame again) from the pulpit. Not in so blatant of way of saying “I have this together and you don’t,”  but in my approach. It has happened (to my shame again again) in my dealings with those outside of Christ. Not on purpose, but in attitude. In questions like “When are you guys going to get your act together?” as if I do.  I do think those who throw up the Matthew 5 “Judge not thingy”  when speaking against sin miss the point of that passage. Speaking against sin as seen in the Bible is not wrong nor judgmental! The attitude may be but even that-at least in my mind-misses the point of that passage. The context is Jesus’ judgment against self-righteousness. How can a non-believer who wants to throw out the “you aren’t supposed to judge” spiel understand? Can I go up to them and say, “You’re misusing that Scripture”? Obviously not. But I need to be careful about my own critical/judgmental spirit.

The point: pointing a finger at another’s sin or shortcoming AND NOT SEEING MY OWN is wrong. And THAT, I believe, is Jesus’ point. It’s the whole log/speck idea. Stop the self-righteous, look-down-the-nose-at-someone-else that is so easy to get into.

“Father, forgive me for my self-righteousness. Forgive me when I fail to look closely into the mirror and see me as You do. I don’t even need to ask you to knock me down a peg or two because you will in your good time. I need your grace to rescue me from myself.”