The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it...The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding...There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me.Do not judge, do not criticize others, pull that plank out of your own eye. Why is it that we who have been shown the most grace are often the most critical of others (who most likely are no worse and probably better than we are)?
Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest: June 17 Devotional
I for one am relieved that I am not held to the same standard of perfection by God that I would in my weakness try to hold others to at times.
God is good. And we certainly need Him to be that way. Because most of us live with a lumberyard sticking out of our eyes.
