Thoughts for the Day

‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is 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 neighbour’s eye.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

William Temple (1881-1944) was an English Anglican priest, who served as Bishop of Manchester, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was admired and respected for his scholarly writing, his inspirational teaching and preaching, for his constant concern for those in need or under persecution, and for his willingness to stand up on their behalf to governments at home and abroad. He once wrote: “I can be good if I want to. The trouble is that I don't always want to.”

Jesus taught us not to judge others, yet the world today takes great delight in judging others - often in celebrating their achievements and then finally pulling them off their pedestal. Our news items are full of hypocritical comments about others, and often we exult in their downfall, yet if we are honest we are no better. Even when we don't say anything we can criticise others in our thoughts, but Jesus says "take out the log from your own eye and then you can see clearly to take the speck out of another's eye".

The Japanese poet Dr Toyohiko Kagawa of Japan, said something similar to William Temple:

• 'I read.
  In a book.
  That a man.
  Called Christ.
  Went about.
  Doing good.
  It is very disconcerting.
  That I am often.
  So easily content.
  With just.
  Going about.'

Lord Jesus,
often we are just going about
our daily life:
meeting people -
reading the newspaper -
listening to the news -
talking to friends -
trawling facebook -
seeing strangers -
overhearing conversations -
and attending church.
May we learn at all such times
to put our critical faculties on hold
and not make unjustified judgements.
about others.
Amen.