Dust Removal

In offering this criticism, I find myself in a peculiar position.  While pointing the finger at others I am, in a very real sense, point back at myself.  However, it would be difficult to address the subject of judgment without committing the said violation.  With that in mind, I take up my keyboard and begin.

Una said to me the other night, “Have you noticed how judgmental preachers and their wives can be?”  I considered her question, relating it to the many preacher families we know, and came to the conclusion that there is some validity in this judgment.  Since I, too, am a preacher, I am also indicted.  Why do we do this?  We are all familiar with the Lord’s injunction to remove the plank from our eye before we attempt to remove the speck of dust from our brother’s eye.  Yet, we insist on removing that particle of dirt.  Is it because we study so much that we become acutely aware of what sin is, and are able to readily identify it in others?  Or, is it, I fear, due to our own self-righteousness?  Do we preacher-sorts come to the point where we see ourselves as sacrificial lambs, pure in deed and mind, cleansed because of our baptism in the Word, and in our knowledge of all things scriptural?  Is that a little too harsh?  Maybe so.  But, it does not relieve us from the duty of taking a hard look at ourselves and how we approach others.  It is so easy to become pharisaical when one devotes their life to doing God’s work.  We feel the weight of responsibility to not only preach the truth, but to also model what we preach.  After all, our words carry little meaning if we are just admonishing others to do as we say and not as we do.

This brings us back to judgment.  In all our piety, we would do well to remember that when we are encouraging others to follow the Lord’s command in Matthew 7, we have the responsibility to do the same.  It would strengthen our ministry if we would not bind on others what we bind upon ourselves; leaving judgment on disputable matters to Him who judges rightly.  I understand the “fish bowl” effect, and the unfair position of having to be more circumspect in our lives because we are recognized as God’s special vessels.  However, this does not give us the right to project those same expectations upon others.  If you wonder why members of your flock avoid you, it just might be for this very reason.  Understand, from your own position, how uncomfortable it is to know that someone is standing in judgment of all that you say or do.  We preachers, as unfair as it may be, signed up for that position.  But, our brothers and sisters did not.  Ready for some plank removal?