Is There Something in Your Eye?

 How To Get The Beam Out of Your Eye and Stop Looking for The Specks In Others

Rabbin/Dr.  Deborah Brandt Ph.D.

Mat 7:2  For the way you judge others is how you will be judged—the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.

Mat 7:3  Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye but not notice the log in your own eye?

Mat 7:4  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the splinter out of your eye,' when you have the log in your own eye?

Mat 7:5  You hypocrite! First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother's eye!

 

Speck G2595

κάρφος

karphos

kar'-fos

From κάρφω karpho (to wither); a dry twig or straw: - mote.

 

Stick of Timber G1385

δοκός

dokos

dok-os'

From G1209 (through the idea of holding up); a stick of timber: - beam.

In The Body of Messiah, we have all been guilty of this, especially with leadership.   Leaders are expected to overlook every flaw in the people they lead, however, they are not allowed to have any human frailty or weakness.  Our lives are put under the microscope and heaven forbid if a blemish pops up and we are found not to be perfect but flawed.

I am not speaking about overlooking sins like adultery or sins that have no place in any believer’s life.   I am talking about shortcomings, that we all have and have 20/20 vision when it comes to someone else’s flaws, but our totally blind to our own.

However, the fact is if we were truthful with ourselves we all are a work in progress and we are imperfect people, living in an imperfect sinful world, trying our best to be perfect in other’s eyes.  Trying to gain the approval of men instead of God.

We are all experts on other people’s faults, in fact, we are Ph.D.s in the school of criticism of others.   Yes, I am just as guilty as anyone.  When someone points out my faults, I am crushed, because I feel like I have failed in being the perfect leader that God has called me to be. And yes, I have to fight pride and anger and allow the Ruach HaKodesh to do the repair work and restoration work He needs to do within me so I can help others be restored.

The only perfect leader and person who ever walked upon this Earth was and is Yeshua.

We expect our leaders to show us, Grace, in our frailties, however, do we do the same thing in return to those who lead?  Do we allow them occasionally to be human, not perfect?

Yes, we are to correct in a spirit of love, lest we find ourselves in the same situation as the one who is being corrected.   However, some believers feel that God has called them to be the national fruit inspectors of others' spiritual fruit, but not their own.

As we look at the great men and women of God in the Bible, most of them were not perfect, they had flaws, yet God still used them and even put them in His Book so we could learn from both their failures and their successes.

When we are criticized or corrected by others, what is our reaction?  Are we angry or thankful? Do we take a good hard look at ourselves and ask God to help us overcome the faults in our lives?  Are we crushed and bruised and run to the Father for healing and forgiveness?

I tend to be a perfectionist, a flaw I have been working on my whole life.   This was due to childhood experiences and trauma that did not go away the minute I was Born Again, no I am a work in progress, but every day I am victorious.

So, when I am corrected, especially by others who are flawed as well, I feel like I have failed God and others.  No one is more grieved then myself when I feel that I have been a disappointment to others.   However, I am so thankful that the God we serve, Baruch HaShem, is bigger than our flaws.

Here is a list of some great people of faith in the Bible that probably would be the least likely to be used by God in man's opinion, but God saw the heart and willingness to repent and serve Him. 

 

Abraham – Lied about Sarah being his wife because of fear

Gen_20:2  And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

Moses - disobeyed God’s instruction to speak to the Rock

Num_20:10  And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

Num_20:11  And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Miriam-  spoke against Moses committing Lashon Hara

Num 12:1  Miryam and Aharon began criticizing Moshe on account of the Ethiopian woman he had married, for he had in fact married an Ethiopian woman.

Num 12:2  They said, "Is it true that Adonai has spoken only with Moshe? Hasn't he spoken with us too?" Adonai heard them.

Num 12:8  With him I speak face to face and clearly, not in riddles; he sees the image of Adonai. So why weren't you afraid to criticize my servant Moshe?"

Num 12:9  The anger of Adonai flared up against them, and he left.

Num 12:10  But when the cloud was removed from above the tent, Miryam had tzara`at, as white as snow. Aharon looked at Miryam, and she was as white as snow.

Aaron-  allowed the people to build a Golden Calf

Exo 32:2  Aharon said to them, "Have your wives, sons and daughters strip off their gold earrings; and bring them to me."

Exo 32:3  The people stripped off their gold earrings and brought them to Aharon.

Exo 32:4  He received what they gave him, melted it down, and made it into the shape of a calf. They said, "Isra'el! Here is your god, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"

Exo 32:5  On seeing this, Aharon built an altar in front of it and proclaimed, "Tomorrow is to be a feast for Adonai." CJB

Samson- Chased the wrong kind of woman

dg_16:9  Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

Jdg_16:10  Then Delilah said to Samson, "Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound."

Jdg_16:12  So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.

Jdg_16:13  Then Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man."

Jdg_16:14  So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web. And she made them tight with the pin and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.

David - had an affair with a married woman and had her husband killed

2Sa 11:1  In the spring, at the time when kings go out to war, David sent out Yo'av, his servants who were with him and all Isra'el. They ravaged the people of `Amon and laid siege to Rabbah. But David stayed in Yerushalayim.

2Sa 11:2  Once, after his afternoon nap, David got up from his bed and went strolling on the roof of the king's palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.

2Sa 11:3  David made inquiries about the woman and was told that she was Bat-Sheva the daughter of Eli`am, the wife of Uriyah the Hitti.

2Sa 11:4  David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he went to bed with her (for she had been purified from her uncleanness). Then she returned to her house.

2Sa 11:5  The woman conceived; and she sent a message to David, "I am pregnant."

2Sa 11:14  In the morning David wrote a letter to Yo'av and sent it with Uriyah.

2Sa 11:15  In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriyah on the front lines of the fiercest fighting; then pull back from him, so that he will be wounded and killed."

Jonah - ran from God’s calling

Jon 1:1  The word of Adonai came to Yonah the son of Amitai:

Jon 1:2  "Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it that their wickedness has come to my attention."

Jon 1:3  But Yonah, in order to get away from Adonai, prepared to escape to Tarshish. He went down to Yafo, found a ship headed for Tarshish, paid the fare and went aboard, intending to travel with them to Tarshish and get away from Adonai.

Peter - denied he was a follower of Yeshua prior to the resurrection

Mat 26:30  After singing the Hallel, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Mat 26:31  Yeshua then said to them, "Tonight you will all lose faith in me, as the Tanakh says, 'I will strike the shepherd dead, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

Mat 26:32  But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into the Galil."

Mat 26:33  "I will never lose faith in you," Kefa answered, "even if everyone else does."

Mat 26:34  Yeshua said to him, "Yes! I tell you that tonight before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

Mat 26:35  "Even if I must die with you," Kefa replied, "I will never disown you!" And all the talmidim said the same thing

Mat 26:69  Kefa was sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him. "You too were with Yeshua from the Galil," she said.

Mat 26:70  But he denied it in front of everyone—"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Mat 26:71  He went out onto the porch, and another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This man was with Yeshua of Natzeret."

Mat 26:72  Again he denied it, swearing, "I don't know the man!"

Paul – killed followers of Yeshua

Act 8:1  and Sha'ul gave his approval to his murder. Starting with that day, there arose intense persecution against the Messianic Community in Yerushalayim; all but the emissaries were scattered throughout the regions of Y'hudah and Shomron.

Act 8:2  Some godly men buried Stephen and mourned him deeply.

Act 8:3  But Sha'ul set out to destroy the Messianic Community—entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and handed them over to be put in prison. CJB

John called Mark – was considered useless by Paul

(Act 15:36 TLV)  After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city where we have proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are.”

(Act 15:37 TLV)  Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark.

(Act 15:38 TLV)  But Paul was insisting that they shouldn’t take him along—the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, not accompanying them in the work.

(Act 15:39 TLV)  A sharp disagreement took place, so that they split off from one another. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

(Act 15:40 TLV)  But Paul selected Silas and went out, being entrusted by the brothers and sisters to the gracious care of the Lord.

(Act 15:41 TLV)  He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the communities.

Did God overlook their sin?  No, but it did not stop Him from restoring them and using them because He saw something in them that no one could see – FAITH and a BROKEN SPIRIT of REPENTANCE.

Forgiveness and Restoration

We should always pray that if a brother has fallen, or minister that they be restored.  I am shocked by how people have websites and blogs dedicated to destroying people’s lives and ministries because they don’t agree with them.

The Bible does speak about a procedure when sin is found in the Body of Messiah, but it also speaks of restoration as well.

We need to guard against the sin of a haughty self-righteous spirit, where we are quick to criticize others but not look into our own failings and faults.

Jas 4:11  Brothers, stop speaking against each other! Whoever speaks against a brother or judges a brother is speaking against Torah and judging Torah. And if you judge Torah, you are not a doer of what Torah says, but a judge.

Jas 4:12  There is but one Giver of Torah; he is also the Judge, with the power to deliver and to destroy. Who do you think you are, judging your fellow human being?

1Jn 5:16  If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he will ask; and God will give him life for those whose sinning does not lead to death. There is sin that does lead to death; I am not saying he should pray about that.

1Jn 5:17  All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

1Jn 5:18  We know that everyone who has God as his Father does not go on sinning; on the contrary, the Son born of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him.

1Jn 5:19  We know that we are from God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.

1Jn 5:20  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment, so that we may know who is genuine; moreover, we are united with the One who is genuine, united with his Son Yeshua the Messiah. He is the genuine God and eternal life.

1Jn 5:21  Children, guard yourselves against false gods! CJB

Mat 18:15  "Moreover, if your brother commits a sin against you, go and show him his fault—but privately, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

Mat 18:16  If he doesn't listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation can be supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Mat 18:17  If he refuses to hear them, tell the congregation; and if he refuses to listen even to the congregation, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax-collector.  CJB

Yeshua the restorer

Luk 22:31  "Shim`on, Shim`on, listen! The Adversary demanded to have you people for himself, to sift you like wheat!

Luk 22:32  But I prayed for you, Shim`on, that your trust might not fail. And you, once you have turned back in repentance, strengthen your brothers!"

Repentance is a gift from the Father to bring Restoration to His people.  In turn, when a brother truly repents, we are to receive them back and also not keep a record and remind them what they did wrong. 

Mat 6:12  Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us. CJB

Eph_4:32  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted; and forgive each other, just as in the Messiah God has also forgiven you. CJB

 

Col_3:13  Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive. CJB

 

1Jn_1:9  If we acknowledge our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing. CJB

Nobody is above being corrected scripturally, however if you are one who corrects people, then you need to be willing to be corrected as well.  However Words can Heal and Words can Kill, so use them wisely and bring healing and restoration.

Compassion and Mercy

Jas 3:18  And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Psa 19:12  Who can discern inintentional sins? Cleanse me from hidden faults.

How come we can so easily discern the faults of others, yet we do not deal with our own hidden faults?  We need to ask the Ruach HaKodesh to search our hearts and to help us with our own faults.

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Mat 23:23  "Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah—justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to—without neglecting the others! CJB

Mat 9:13  As for you, go and learn what this means: 'I want compassion rather than animal-sacrifices.' For I didn't come to call the 'righteous,' but sinners!" CJB

• Treat people the way you want to be treated.
• Forgive people the way you want to be forgiven.
• Restore the broken, just like you would want to be restored.
• Speak about people the way you want to be spoken about.
• Love people the way you want to be loved and the way Yeshua loves you.
• See yourself the way the Father sees you, Holy, blameless and righteous In Messiah.
• Respect others the way you want to be respected.
• Instead of looking at a person’s faults, find something about them that is good.
• Pray for those who are struggling and hurting and need deliverance, the same way you would want someone to pray for you when you are struggling.

Gal 6:1  Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won't be tempted too.

Gal 6:2  Bear one another's burdens—in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah's true meaning, which the Messiah upholds.

Gal 6:3  For if anyone thinks he is something when he is really nothing, he is fooling himself.

Gal 6:4  So let each of you scrutinize his own actions. Then if you do find something to boast about, at least the boasting will be based on what you have actually done and not merely on a judgment that you are better than someone else;

Gal 6:5  for each person will carry his own load. CJB

We need to make Love a way of Life. Not only with those who love us, but also with those who do not love us.

Luk 6:27  Nevertheless, to you who are listening, what I say is this: "Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you,

Luk 6:28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luk 6:29  "If someone hits you on one cheek, offer the other too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well.

Luk 6:30  "If someone asks you for something, give it to him; if someone takes what belongs to you, don't demand it back.

Luk 6:31  "Treat other people as you would like them to treat you.

Luk 6:32  What credit is it to you if you love only those who love you? Why, even sinners love those who love them.

Luk 6:33  What credit is it to you if you do good only to those who do good to you? Even sinners do that.

Luk 6:34  What credit is it to you if you lend only to those who you expect will pay you back? Even sinners lend to each other, expecting to be repaid in full.

Luk 6:35  But love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing back! Your reward will be great, and you will be children of Ha`Elyon; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Luk 6:36  Show compassion, just as your Father shows compassion. CJB

1Co 13:1  I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.

1Co 13:2  I may have the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all faith—enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing.

1Co 13:3  I may give away everything that I own, I may even hand over my body to be burned; but if I lack love, I gain nothing.

1Co 13:4  Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,

1Co 13:5  not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.

1Co 13:6  Love does not gloat over other people's sins but takes its delight in the truth.

1Co 13:7  Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures.

I am so grateful, that God looked past my faults and loved me anyway, and forgave me anyway and made me His child, as imperfect as I am.  Praise The Almighty for His gift of repentance and forgiveness so we can continue to be perfected in Messiah Yeshua, for His Kingdom and His Glory. 

 

Lets us pray as David prayed, in true humility

Psa 51:1  [For the leader. A psalm of David,

Psa 51:2  when Natan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bat-Sheva:]

Psa 51:3  God, in your grace, have mercy on me; in your great compassion, blot out my crimes.

Psa 51:4  Wash me completely from my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:5  For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me all the time.

Psa 51:6  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil from your perspective; so that you are right in accusing me and justified in passing sentence.

Psa 51:7  True, I was born guilty, was a sinner from the moment my mother conceived me.

Psa 51:8  Still, you want truth in the inner person; so make me know wisdom in my inmost heart.

Psa 51:9  Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psa 51:10  Let me hear the sound of joy and gladness so that the bones you crushed can rejoice.

Psa 51:11  Turn away your face from my sins and blot out all my crimes.

Psa 51:12  Create in me a clean heart, God; renew in me a resolute spirit.

Psa 51:13  Don't thrust me away from your presence, don't take your Ruach Kodesh away from me.

Psa 51:14  Restore my joy in your salvation and let a willing spirit uphold me.

Psa 51:15  Then I will teach the wicked your ways, and sinners will return to you.

Psa 51:16  Rescue me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation! Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness—

Psa 51:17  Adonai, open my lips; then my mouth will praise you.

Psa 51:18  For you don't want sacrifices, or I would give them; you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings.

Psa 51:19  My sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God, you won't spurn a broken, chastened heart.

CJB