What’s wrong with your eye?

Lenten Devotions

A Walk through the Book of Luke

March 7, 2023

Luke 6:37-42

Judging Others

“What’s wrong with your eye?”

About 20 years ago, I had major surgery on my left eye. One morning I woke up and noticed that the vision in my left eye was like looking through a half-moon. I let it go for a day or two, but as it didn’t get any better, I called my eye doctor, who is also a surgeon.

When I told the nurse about the problem, she said, “I need you to come in right now.” So, I dropped what I was doing: preparing for day two of VBS.

When I arrived at the doctor’s office, the nurse had me enter the exam room immediately. The doctor came in, looked at my eye, did a few tests, and asked me, “When was the last time you ate?” I told him about three hours ago. He replied, “Good, because you’re having eye surgery in about three hours, you have a torn retina.”

I won’t go into the particulars of the surgery and recovery. However, the doctor told me if I had waited another day or two, there was a good chance I would have lost all sight in that eye.

In today’s reading, Jesus tells a short parable concerning the eye. In this case, someone has a plank in their eye, and that someone could be you or me.

**************************The Point************************

 In today’s reading, Jesus tells us not to judge others without a bit of self-reflection.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also told them this Parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

 “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, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Luke 6: 37-42

Do you remember the “Golden Rule?”

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

In the above verse, Jesus is talking about loving your enemies. Today’s reading is breaking down this verse into particulars.

Don’t judge others, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn others, and you won’t be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. Get the picture?

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

The last part of this reading discusses self-reflection. Jesus gives two examples in Parables.

Jesus said a blind person can’t lead a blind person. This statement is aimed at Jesus’ disciples. What does He mean? As a disciple, we can’t teach others unless we are knowledgeable and understand Jesus’ teachings. I would not try to write a devotion unless I’ve read the Bible and some Bible commentaries to know what I’m writing about.

 Some of Jesus’ disciples thought they were more knowledgeable than the teacher (Jesus). We know that’s not possible. All we can do is strive to be like Him.

I’ve always loved the visual I get in my mind of Jesus’s second Parable.

 “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, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

I’ve had many a speck in my eye, and as I mentioned earlier, I’ve had eye surgery. But can you imagine having a plank (think of a 2×4 stuck in your eye)?

Jesus uses the perfect word, hypocrite. As a disciple/follower of Jesus, how can we call someone out on a sin they’ve committed (speck) when we don’t first address our own problem (sin–plank)? That would be and is hypocritical.

I guess you might call both of these parables eye-openers. (😊) Seriously, let’s never think we are better than others. We are all sinners, and we need to address our faults before calling others to task for their sins.