Articles

My Vision Problem
By Jack Hickman

Matthew 7.1 Jesus said 'judge not that you be not judged for with what judgment you judge you will be judged'.

The christians have a reputation for being harsh and critical, and it is too bad. Jesus wants it to be way, way different. In a typical group project or in an office there is all kinds of criticism and 'behind the scenes conversation' about 'oh she thinks she is so so smart'. This strict way many of us measure people around us will be exactly what we will get. I think it comes back to us now, and it will come in the future.

Jesus says 'why do you look at the speck in your brothers eye?' Step one in the discipleship codebook is to look at yourself a bit more. But the natural thing is to gawk around at everyone else and ignore the giant inconsistency in your own life. Martin Luther's catchphrase for humanity was 'people curved in on themselves'. We have a natural selfish gene that makes us blind. We have a natural vision disturbance.

Normally we don't think of Christ as a funny guy. This time he is making the disciples laugh. He gives us a picture of someone pointing out the tiny speck or an eyelash that is in a friend's eye. BUT THERE IS A LARGE PLANK IN YOUR OWN EYE!

How could anyone attempt to correct a person with an arrow sticking out of their head? There is no way you could help anyone else in such a condition. And if you step back and look at it, you get a visual of someone stumbling around the room. OUCH! They have a pretty big problem and should get some help.

When people fake it and will not look at their own problems their phoniness provokes Jesus to use the 'H' bomb. He says 'you hypocrite!' The word is an old greek theatre word for a person who acted out a part. Jesus says the fakers and the actors need to get real. Pull your log out and maybe you will be ready to go help someone else.

In the 1960's and 1970's the cognitive therapy people discovered what Jesus talked about a long time ago. They call it 'the binocular trick'. When you look at yourself you tend to use one side of the field glasses. But if you notice, when you look at your close friends you can get a magnified view of all the little stuff in their beard, or the dandruff on their sweater. TURN THE THING AROUND AND EVERYTHING IS A MILE AWAY! I see my wife's issues better than mine. And I can tell you all the problems of my friends...I look through the wrong end of the binoculars when I see myself! It's almost like bad breath- everyone knows but you. But thank God, Jesus does heal the blind.

Matthew couples one other lesson from Jesus in his 'sermon on the mount'. He says 'do not give what is holy to the dogs, or cast your pearls before swine lest they trample them under foot and turn and tear you to pieces'.

There is a way to have discernment with people, and for those who are not interested in your message about the kingdom you can just give them something simple like 'God has changed my life'. Or you might ask them a question about their spiritual life. Or, 'have you ever thought about God?'
If you get out your pearls and all your precious things, they, just like a dog, will not know the value of them.

Christians fall into the trap Billy Graham did when all the journalists asked him to show the way he prayed with the president and they photographed him down on his knees in the grass near the White House (laughing all the way to the darkroom). Christ does not want you to get abused, and he wants us to use wisdom when we share God's love with people.

There are great people all around us. But there are also people who are more animal than human. Jesus says little sheep watch yourself and really open your eyes.

Do not be harsh! Look at your own areas of improvement! And be careful of the dogs that bite!

Jack