WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 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? 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? 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 7:1-5
So many times, too many times we make judgments about others when we ourselves have issues in our own lives that have not been dealt with (think of Job and his “friends” in the Book of Job). Jesus asked a couple very interesting questions— “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? 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?” He was getting at the motivation of why we are focused on some problem in another person’s life, but we are not dealing with our own. He did not give us the answer to the motivation, but He did give us the remedy— “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.” It is the hypocrite that seeks to point out errors in someone else without dealing with their own. Jesus said we need to make sure we deal with our known errors before trying to point out errors in other people’s lives that we see.
What would be the motivation for focusing on others without dealing with our own stuff? Let’s see if we can list some: not wanting to acknowledge that I have errors in my own life, making myself look like someone I really am not, pride keeps me from admitting I struggle in an area or areas, I really like my own area I am erring in, lack of love for others (shown by not loving God by my disobedience)… are a few. Jesus said that before I seek to help someone else with what they are erring in that I need to deal with my own stuff!
So… let us look at our own lives and be sure we are right before God. Only then should we seek to help others in areas where they are erring. These are places we know a brother or sister is erring and not some 2nd or 3rd hand gossip. When we love God then we will want to be in right standing before Him. Then as we love people we will want they to be in right standing before Him as well. Our motivation to help is love for God and love for people.
Think you see some brother or sister erring? Have you check out your own life first for errors? Have you checked out your motivation for approaching a brother or sister who is erring? If love for God and love for that erring brother and sister is not your motivation… then do not approach them. Having some other agenda is only destructive, not only to them, but it will further solidify the false beliefs and motivations you have about yourself!
Dear Father may You help me to have a right view of myself and others. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son. Yes, may this be so today and for the rest of my life— that I would seek to help others because my motivation is love for You and love for them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6U8O_WnPZY