“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3
We all struggle with other people’s sin, especially if that sin is aimed at us. It is easy to become outraged at another person’s unethical or immoral behavior. Perhaps they have lied to you, or cheated you, or taken credit for a good idea that was actually yours. Maybe you are aware of something they are doing that is very wrong.
Sometimes it is your Christian duty to point out another’s sin, but Jesus warns us to make sure that we examine our own lives before we become too anxious to correct the behavior of others.
[3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3–5
Self-examination often results in humility, which leads to our being able to grant grace. It is easier to deal with someone else’s sin when we remember that we are sinners ourselves. We may also discover that the sins of others that bother us the most are those sins that we also commit.