Log vs speck?

God has created us to have relationship, first of all with Him, secondly with people. But all those who have had friends/family around long enough will know the longer you spend with anyone, that yes they are beautiful and have many great qualities, they also have some flaws. The closer you get to a person, the more it seems these flaws become magnified. A friend who manipulates, another who never takes responsibility, the other who is always trying to 'fix' things, etc. The family member who struggles with abandonment, the other who always is the doormat, the one who never speaks up and the other who is always pretending to be 'fine'. Addictions, depression, a past of molestation, abortion or abuse leave some scars that remain in our souls. When we get close we see the flaws life has brought and they seem to be enlarged, and before we know it we forget all the good beautiful things God has made them to be.

Now I don't know about you, but my first reaction when faced with a flaw (e.g. a friend who seems to receive more than she gives) is to want to withdraw. After all I have to protect myself/look after myself. Yet this would mean that we don't recognize our own flaws; perhaps it is perfectionism, trying to win love by what we do, stubbornness, manipulation & pride. OUCH!!! it's a bit more eina when the microscope gets turned away from the other to ourselves. Perhaps this is what Jesus was talking about when he said, "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?" Matt 7:3 (NLT). Somehow we find it easier to focus and try and change the speck in our brother's eye, and nicely ignore the log in our own!

We are commanded to 1 Pet 4:8 (NKJV) "... have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins' ". So the next time you see your friend's faults; remember God's love covers all your sins- He gives me the grace to take out the log out of your eye, and so extend that same love to your friend. Let us apply eyes of love, instead of using a microscope of others' flaws, meanwhile hitting them with the log that we haven't dealt with. Most often this log is one of pride and judgment (I'm better than you). Let us repent of our sins, before trying to correct or abandon others.

“May the Lord bless you with His grace to deal with your own logs, 
may He keep you in His grace that overcomes;
May the Lord make His face shine upon,
And be gracious to you by not mentioning your faults;
May the Lord lift up His face upon you,
And give you peace with yourself and your fellow man”’