It's human nature to point a finger when we think someone else is guilty of something but yet we don't stop to consider that we too may be guilty of the very same thing we are accusing others of. Why is it so easy to turn a blind eye and overlook our own faults and yet so easy to see these faults in someone else? For some reason, we take pleasure in judging, condemning and criticizing others. Does it take the spotlight off us in drawing attention to someone else?

As I already mentioned, we do this because we are human. We live in the flesh which is naturally sinful. But once we are saved, we crucify this flesh and start living as a new creature in Christ. With spiritual maturity comes this submission in doing God's will for us. We as a Christian know that we should be able to see the plank in our own eye before we point out the speck in someone else's eye.

Jesus told us in His words found in Matt. 7:1-5. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in your own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (NKV)

We shouldn't point out other's faults because as Jesus said, if we go around judging others someday we are going to have to stand before God Almighty and be judged more severely.

In order for us to become mature in Christ, it takes some work on our part. It doesn't end when we say the Sinner's Prayer. We have to continue to study up on God's Word and get rooted deeply. This is accomplished by developing a deep relationship with our Creator through daily prayer and daily study of His Word. The two must go hand in hand. Upon this spiritual growth, a true Christian can not continue to deliberately sin. Even a born again Christian falls from time to time, but the difference is, they will learn from their mistakes and help others to see the truth as well.

Being a Christian doesn't give us a license to criticize or judge anyone else because we are not perfect, contrary to popular belief. Any professed Christian who does think this is the case is then guilty of the sin of pride and self righteousness! God alone is the judge over all. He has His ways to deal with us when we fall. As any loving parent, He is patient and makes sure we learn our lesson before He'll allow us to continue on. He won't keep piling more responsibilities on us until we have learned the lesson at hand. For some it comes faster and easier and so they advance quicker but for others they may be kept going around and around the same mountain for a lot longer than they maycare to admit.

This could be due to having planks in our own eyes and not seeing it for the speck in someone else's. Let's take a look at a character in the Bible who had such a plank in his eye. Even though he was a man after God's own heart, David was not a perfect speciman. But God has a way of using who He chooses. David was still highly favored by God in spite of his own weaknesses, which God dealt with. David had to go through the refiner's fire in order to be the king God intended him to be.

David was human just like the rest of us. He was guilty of lust, covetousness, fornication with another man's wife which led to murder. These certainly are not things to be proud of, but still David was able to overlook these faults and was quick to judge the actions of another man. God sent Nathan a prophet to tell David a parable which pointed out the injustice that was done to an innocent man. Instead of realizing his own guilt, David was quick to bring down the gavel of a guilty verdict. It was then that Nathan told David, "You are that man". (2 Sam. 12)

As David saw it fit to give the guilty man a death sentence, it's a good thing that God is slow to anger and has far more patience and forgiveness! This was an eye opener for David who then saw a very big plank in his own eye! He immediately acknowledged his sins against the Lord. Did God forgive Him? Of course He did but not without suffering some consequences first. David went on to become a very great and powerful king but he still had to suffer the death of his infant son who was created through his lustful affair with Bathsheba. He prayed and fasted during the death of his son, but once he died, he got up and went on his way. Was he bitter against God for doing this? No, he realized that God did what needed to be done, and he still praised him and then put it all behind him to let God have His way in him. David was left quite humbled and was now strong spiritually to be anointed as king.

The next time you are quick to point out someone else's faults, take a step back and look into the mirror of your soul and search for that plank. Make sure it hasn't dulled your vison or even blinded you to the truth about yourself.

"There is none who does good, no, not one." Ps. 14:3

Just remember by pointing a finger it seperates us from others but Christian fellowship builds us up and binds us together.

Vivian Gordon is inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these articles in order to spread God's message to others who may not understand how much He loves them.