Tag: truth

An Eye-ronic Metaphor: A SOAP Study on Matthew 7:1–5

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Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

In Matthew 7:1–5, Jesus gives one of His most quoted—and arguably most misunderstood—teachings:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged…Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

Spoken during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes the character of those who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. His words are not a proscription against discernment but a warning against hypocrisy and self-righteous condemnation.

But how can we apply this to our everyday lives, our relationships, and even our jobs?

As always, let’s dive in.

Observations and Applications:

1. “Do Not Judge” — What Jesus Is Not Saying

In today’s world, “Do not judge” is generally used to discourage behavior evaluation and sin identification. However, that interpretation doesn’t hold up in context, as a few verses later (Matthew 7:15), Jesus implores discernment, instructing his followers to “watch out for false prophets.” As we see throughout Scripture, particularly in Paul’s letters, believers are called to evaluate teaching, fruit, and conduct.

Thus, we can deduce that Jesus is not encouraging silent tongues in the face of injustice but rather confronting a posture of superiority, eager to point out faults in others while remaining blind to one’s own.

2. The Speck and the Log — A Deliberate Exaggeration

While some picture Jesus as matter-of-fact in sermons, this passage reveals an expression of humanity, specifically the use of humor and exaggeration to make certain truths vivid.

Consider the contrast:

  • A speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye.
  • A massive plank lodged in your own.

The image is absurd. Imagine someone trying to perform eye surgery while a two-by-four is sticking out of their face. Crazy, right? Well, maybe not so much given our tendency to minimize our own sin and magnify the faults of others,

Note the metaphor’s tie-in to unholy offense. Any time we hold a grudge or foster bitterness and resentment in our hearts, we invert this order. Either we expect the other side to yield first, or we assume the speck is on our side.

Yet, the comparison infers, neither option is correct; hence, His warning: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.”

Essentially, Jesus is cautioning us to a familiar theme in Scripture: The measure we use becomes the measure applied to us. God opposes hypocrisy because it misrepresents His character and misappropriates humility. When we judge harshly, we assume a role that belongs to God. When we judge mercilessly, we forget how much mercy we ourselves have received.

3. “First, take the Log Out.”

Notice Jesus does not say, “Ignore the speck in your brother’s eye,” but charges us to “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck.”

Why this direction? For starters, at the heart of love is mercy, and mercy, by nature, does not condemn but seeks to restore and transform through constructive insight.

Knowing this, we can confidently confront our sin by:

  • Approaching others gently.
  • Correcting without cruelty.
  • Speaking truth without pride.
  • Extending grace without reciprocity.

Only when humility meets repentance will our correction convey in an empowering and encouraging way.

4. A Diagnostic Question

Before addressing someone else’s failure, we must ask ourselves some clarifying questions:

  • Have I honestly examined my own heart?
  • Am I motivated by love or by irritation?
  • Do I desire restoration or vindication?
  • Have I invited God to expose my blind spots?

Taking this inventory, we align ourselves to an essential truth:

Judgment that flows from humility leads to healing; judgment that flows from pride leads to division.

5. The Gospel Lens

Ultimately, Matthew 7:1–5 drives us back to the Gospel, where at the Cross, we discern two clear truths:

  1. Our sin is serious enough to require sacrifice.
  2. God’s grace is abundant enough to forgive it.

When we live at the foot of the cross, arrogance dissolves. We remember that we are recipients of mercy before we are dispensers of correction. The person who knows they have been forgiven does not wield judgment carelessly.

Final Thoughts & Prayer

Matthew 7:1–5 is not a call to oral silence but to moral integrity. As modeled during His ministry, Jesus invites us into a community marked by:

  • Self-awareness
  • Repentance
  • Mercy
  • Clear-eyed love

However, to fully abide in this series, we must repent of any place where we find safety in critiquing over confessing and/or analyzing another’s pride before confronting our own.

Bottom line: Before we reach for someone else’s speck, dare to kneel with your own log. Once immersed in that posture—low, honest, dependent—it’s only a matter of time until you begin to see clearly again.

Let’s pray…

“Heavenly Father. We commit this study, this day into your hands. We ask you seal your truth into our hearts. May it not vacate our ears or return void. Continue to teach us how to forgive, how to timely release our offenses. Refine this quality in our spirits so we can better illuminate the fullness of your love. We receive your grace afresh and anew with the aim to extend what you’ve blessed and equipped us with. Whether we’re poor in spirit or riding high in faith, reveal to us logs to extract so we can maturely handle the specks we encounter. In your holy, precious name, we declare victory in this area as we conform to your likeness. May it be so. May it be done. We love you, Lord. Amen.”

Cover graphic creds: Goodsnewtext

Like a Good Neighbor

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Written 11/09/2025

It’s a crisp autumn night as I overlook a neighborhood that, at the moment, resembles a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. I guess that’s what happens when severe weather strikes during peak foliage season. Rivers of color up ahead and flowing on sideroads across the subdivision. A bizarre spectacle as I pen these thoughts.

To be honest, I’m not okay right now. When a neighbor whose dog viciously attacked one of my boys last February cusses out my older two for cleaning up debris 15-20 yards from his property and demands I “move the f***” away”, how can you not be jolted? Dude, your dog almost killed my son. We relocated ours for healing and trauma counseling. The dust has settled. Move on. We have no intention to invade. Let life happen. Don’t curse my kids.

Of course, I keep the struggle internal and swiftly comply. But deep down, I’m livid. Just 15 hours prior, I had pulled over in my in-laws’ subdivision to ride out a storm, hazards flaring, my upper half documenting. For the first 10 minutes, everything is fine, my awe struck at the scene of one of the most impressive, hail-laden downpours I’ve ever seen.

That’s when an older gentleman with an umbrella walks out to my passenger door. Instead of asking if I was okay, he stoops down and yells, “What the hell are you doing?” Without any official storm-chasing designation, I stumble into my explanation, though emphasizing my place on public property. “What is your reason for being here? Is there somewhere else you can go?” Annoyed at the mere existence of this exchange, I conclude with a defiant, “Absolutely!” I turn the key and drive away, a tough shrug-n-go at first, but digestible upon realizing the man lives in literal darkness every night. Lord knows the reason behind such crabby cantankerousness. Honestly, I should feel bad for the man.

Fast-forward to this morning and I’m feeling it in the wake of another brutal interlude. That piece of you that prefers some faith in humanity, it’s fading with the wind knocked out. Discouraged, I return to my pile of downed limbs and trampoline shrapnel. That’s when something remarkable happens. Only 15 minutes later, a stranger in a tan pickup pulls up to my driveway and asks if I need any help. Surprised, yet amused at the poetic symmetry of the moment, I welcome the assistance and process the intel. After recently moving from the upper Midwest, this younger gentleman, who wore the part through his swagger and 220-lb frame, confessed how he had been jonesing for a situation like this in which he could contribute mass relief. For the next 20 minutes, we hauled a healthy load, even swung on some stubborn maple and oak limbs, loosening them before their saw-off. Caeden as my witness, we had a grand time. Such serendipity, you couldn’t have timed it better.

As my new neighbor drove off, I couldn’t help but yearn for a healthy calibration of what I’d just experienced. A few years into our move, Lys and I took a similar approach to our neighbors around the holidays. We were intentional in our giving, made efforts to share goodness, especially in our December dealings; however, post-COVID/post-Juju, we started to slack off a bit, more cynical and protective in light of stranger times. Sometimes, you wish you could just go back before the drama and find a way to bypass it. Just one tweak there, and the whole trajectory changes. Less mess and way less fallout.

But sometimes, all you have to do is consider the script you wish was imminent without the mulligan and pray into the next steps. For me, the truth is, the type of gusto I show during planned storm chases and disaster relief meetings— when I set out not only to track nature’s worst but also to help people in the path — should not be confined to the planned, but even more so, the unplanned. After all, random acts of kindness aren’t just for outreach-friendly entities. They are for every man on call for any situation. ‘Tis the silver lining any time chaos and crisis come knocking at our door and/or the one next door.

So as I bid this day adieu, I’m taking in the daily narrative. Like a heartening State Farm ad, not only is my faith in ‘good neighbor’ restored, but my hope in being the type of person I want to be more consistently.

I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: The Lord knows exactly what we need, when we need it; hence, why we must adhere to the hope of glory we carry within so we can spark it within spontaneous generosity. We got this! Together, we will get there.

Selah.

Graphic cover creds: Dreamstime

Healing at Work: Why God Leads Us Through Desert Seasons

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The other day, I was catching up with a former colleague when the following topic came up: Why does God lead us to places we don’t belong, places so far out of our giftings and comfort zones, they are practically impossible?

These are fair and popular questions during and after seasons of intense shaking and course-correcting. If we’re to start our exploration on the right foot, we must know who God is and how He journeys us. After all, God’s concern is not so much where we’re going as much as who we’re becoming. While man, in his lust for understanding, craves direction for his gain, be it clarity, validation, or something tangible, God is always after our hearts, relentlessly pursuing us in love (1 John 4:19). True to His Word, He never forsakes us and is always ready to help when we ask for it (Matthew 7:7; John 14:13-14).

So, if God is all this and more, why does He migrate us into deserts and wildernesses? Why does God sometimes open doors to places we’re hard-pressed to thrive, to be most effective?

As Jennie Allen suggests in her book, Untangle Your Emotions, when processing these questions, we must start with the right ‘W’. Often, we wonder why so we ask ‘why’, when really, we should be asking, ‘what’. For example, rather than ask God, ‘Why did you lead me here? Why did you let this happen? Why aren’t you manifesting’, inquire with, ‘God, what do you want me to know? What must I do to help this situation? What is it you want me to receive from you at the moment?’ While these are but a few examples, the mere shift in approach gives us a healthy starting point from which we can troubleshoot internal dissonance.

I believe for many of us, we’re searching not only for answers but stillness with a side of healing. Often, to what we hope for, we’re desperate for an improvement of circumstance, character, even health. The problem is while our reliance in the vertical is perpetually possible, the restoration we crave in the horizontal isn’t always plausible; hence, why we sometimes succumb to a ‘why’ question as we seek to bridge the disconnect. The good news is while this divide may hurt in the short term, it can have long-term, large-scale impacts given it validates our call to rely on God when we’re overwhelmed. Feeling down in your doubt? Cast it on Him! Sensing unfair treatment? Pray for peace-making discernment. Struggling to reconcile the past or advance in your way? Submit your intent to Christ knowing He desires to mature you according to His purposes.

Stumble as we may, our grooming for eternity doesn’t pause in the potholes of life but by His stripes can be enhanced in our weakness.

Accordingly, if you’re questioning God at a crucial intersection, if you’re struggling to arrive at peace, rest, forgiveness, whatever it may be, consider changing your ‘Why God’ into a ‘What God’ and watch what happens. Once your ‘what’ questions are in rhythm, marinate in the sweetness of God’s sanctification and strategize ways in which righteousness and holiness can cover your interactions with other people. Like ‘why’ questions, harboring offense and intentionally withholding good things (i.e. availability, a gentle critique/response, a listening ear, an effort to understand, etc.) will only cloud judgment and cap God’s love from flowing through us. Rather than quench the fires of tension or repair the damages of burnout, inquire what God wants to show you as you walk through it in humility. No need to panic or freak out; just leave it to the wrath and ways of God to straighten and enlighten. From there, all you have to do is breathe, release, and release again.

Ultimately, what compels us to journey through impossible places is God’s love filling in possible spaces – those spaces being our ‘deep’ (Psalm 42:7) desiring to know and grow in God within the world around us. As the Word attests, we were made to discover God; however, this cannot happen without the opportunity to trust Him in the desert, the wilderness, and all points in between. Remember God uses all things for good according to His perfect will purposed for those He loves (Romans 8:28). Core to our maturation as believers, we must learn to align faith and hope during adversity so any wresting against God can turn into wrestling with and for Him. Granted, this isn’t possible in our strength and requires daily sacrifice and surrender. But at the very least, we can respond to God’s pursuance and where He’s leading us, knowing we have nothing to lose and everything to gain in Christ Jesus following in His footsteps.

Cover graphic creds: Framework Recovery

Cultivating Compassion: The Power of Empathy at Work (Part 1)

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When we assess intelligence in the marketplace, we often refer to one’s aptitude. If one can critically think and problem-solve under pressure, chances are they’re qualified enough to do the job. But in an increasingly tolerant and diverse era, executive priorities are changing. Long gone are leadership committees prioritizing the paper and potential. These days, employers are not only looking to scale one’s ability to reason but also their capacity to relate to colleagues, clients, and social climates.

Essentially, while intellectual ceilings are still being explored, how one nurtures endurance is being implored all the more. In the construct of empathy, this promotes some imperative questions with candidates. Are they willing to broaden their perspective to extend awareness and morale? Can they pierce through emotional dissonance in high-stress situations? Are they able to resonate with the thoughts and feelings of others?

As for those in leadership, are we taking thorough inventory? Have we corporately inquired, ‘What space are we making for cognitive empathy in our workplaces? Heck, do we even know how to define and refine it, let alone shine it?‘

Regardless, to best answer these inquiries, we must start our examination in the Word. As always, let’s dive in…

Although empathy is not directly stated in Scripture, the concept is conveyed through the behaviors of Jesus and apostolic teachings on love, kindness, and understanding (Romans 12:15, 1 Peter 3:8, Philippians 2:4, and 1 John 3:17-18). While secular approaches paint empathy as little more than emotional sensitivity and selfless concern, when we consider the empathy of Christ, we discover how the virtue goes beyond shared feelings into hands-on support.

One of my favorite examples of this takes place in Luke 13:10-17. In this passage, we find Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when he notices a woman with a disabling spirit. Unable to stand up straight, the woman seeks him in desperation anticipating her deliverance. Upon seeing her, Jesus calls her over, declares her freedom, and proceeds to heal her condition. No longer crooked, she gives glory to God stunning the Sanhedrin.

To me, this story has profound implications in the marketplace. For starters, if we want to lead effectively, we must seek the Lord and apply what He loves with whom He loves. As John 15:13 alludes, no greater love has no hidden agenda, and we must abide accordingly. As leaders, we shouldn’t wait for opportune moments to find us. Rather, we should pursue them with aligned surrender and humility. Christ in us, we don’t need to prove our solicitude, but with eager attentiveness, comfort those who struggle and rejoice with the joyful, allowing our fear of God to be set in motion. In this life, there will be times when we must bear another’s burdens; however, there will also be moments when we must enter into the victory God is unlocking within us as well as those around us. Hence, the significance of empathy in that it keeps us ready to act selflessly in any circumstance!

Furthermore, if we desire empathy, we must aspire to inspire unity in community. Depending on your vocation, this may involve relating to a customer’s experiences, playing peacemaker between colleagues, or offering help on a challenging project. No matter the opportunity, empathy allows you to take heart as you give heart. Within boundary and bandwidth, you can enter into one’s grief, talk to those who may be lonely or hurting, even approach correction with compassion. Honestly, the possibilities are endless!

Bottom line: You have a valuable part in not only enhancing the well-being of your colleagues but also improving the health of your workplace culture. Applying Scripture to your surroundings, you have everything to gain living like Jesus. The more empathy abounds, the more peaceful and effective your organization will be. No need to fear what others say or think as long as your aim is anchored to the voice and heart of God. As for those wrestling with idolatry in the form of craving influence, remember Jesus didn’t passively connect to gain followers but intentionally pursued the salvation and heart change of others. May it be so in our respective surroundings as we believe and minister in greater confidence!

Stay tuned next time when I’ll break down different types of empathy and tie them to various Scriptures and scenarios. Until then…

Selah.

Cover graphic creds: PeopleTalk Online

Auto Pilate: A Procurator in a Plane Crazy Situation

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Imagine being Pontius Pilate. A man of high esteem among the Romans but despised by the people of Israel. A leader marked by confidence and chaos, peace and provocations. An ambassador puppet to a foreign land where conflict comes with the territory, where everything you stand for promotes a visceral, divisive reaction. 

For a while, things are status quo with the occasional shaking here and there. But then, without warning, in walks a king, the Son of God, a man whose very name was questioned, whose presence would foreshadow the greatest kingdom collapses in history. Who could have known outside the divine? How epic a decision, how dramatic the plate in your lap? 

Yet, that’s exactly what you have in John 18-19, a chapter duo ridden with deep denial, betrayal, and surprise confessions. 

For many, the chapters read as a prelude to the greatest account of eternal measure, and rightfully so; however, what if I told you the books are more than just a literary overture? What if I told you the exchange between Pilate and Jesus would preview the kind of perspective and contrast we dare embrace today? Where naivety begets a redemptive recognition of truth. Would your mind not be changed or at least freshened to reconsider? 

Either way, my curiosity is compelled to Pilate and his part in the resurrection narrative. As always, let’s drill down and dive in…

In the first half of John 18, the Sanhedrin, a council of priestly and lay elders, arrests Jesus during the Jewish festival of Passover, threatened by his teachings and kingdom assertions. After Annas and Caiaphas determine Jesus guilty of blasphemy, he’s brought before Pontius Pilate for judgment in v. 28. At the time, Jewish law prohibited killing one of their own. With Pilate being the only one with power to impose a death sentence, the elders pressure him to crucify Jesus. Amidst the commotion, Peter denies Jesus three times before the rooster’s crow as was foretold. 

Seeking to understand the danger behind Jesus’ condemnation, Pilate probes his origin and lordship, stepping in and out of his governor’s headquarters to appease the council. After Pilate asks, “Are you King of the Jews”, Jesus answers, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Hearing more than he likely anticipated, Pilate poses a fair follow-up, “What is truth?“

While a response isn’t recorded, Pilate’s initial verdict is clear. Without criminal proof, Pilate declares Christ’s Innocence to the Sanhedrin: “I find no guilt in him” (v. 38) and encourages his release again before being met with resistance. Stuck in a stall pattern, Pilate orders Jesus to be flogged and beaten, hoping to satisfy the elders. After applying a crown of thorns into Jesus’ head, the soldiers bring him back to Pilate where again, he proclaims Christ’s blamelessness: “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” Desperate for control, the elders double-down and ‘double-mind’ their earlier statement (18:31): “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” Fearful of a riot, Pilate makes one last attempt to gain clarity from Jesus in a classic ‘help me help you’ moment. 

Starting in John 19:9: “He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So, Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore, he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.’ From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So, when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

In re-examining this passage, several insights stand out. For starters, the irony of these chapters is largely filtered through its symmetry and the awkwardness of Pilate’s position. The in-and-out of governor’s headquarters, the tug-of-war wavering between two parties keen on not defiling themselves, the contrast between Peter, a disciple, denying Jesus three times and Pilate, an alien, edifying His nature three times. The content and its layout is undoubtedly rich.

But to me, what resonates the most is how this piece of the narrative ends. Say what you want about Pilate’s predicament and decision-making. When we connect the dots within this exchange, we see nothing but truth (and truth seeking) from one who could relate to being despised by Jews, who communicated from authority to authority, who defended the guiltlessness of what he couldn’t understand even when it stood before him.

Make no mistake: Pilate isn’t a hero in the Passion narrative given his indecisive moments and people-pleasing tendencies; however, he is a worthy case study in the sense he sought to circumvent envy and relate to Christ’s innocence not only from what he boldly promulgated but his washing of hands post-sentence (Matthew 27:24). In essence, Pilate was given a tight-rope over shaky ground yet still pursued due diligence to free a righteous man hell-bent on freeing the world from sin. At the very least, we owe Pilate some props in pursuing truth. After all, if we want to point people to Jesus, we must be willing to discover who He is and from there, allow ourselves to be convinced He is set apart as our Messiah.

As for all of us this Easter season, I submit we re-receive the truth about our identity in light of the Cross. For Pilate, he made every attempt to be made innocent of Christ’s blood. But thanks to God’s master plan and Jesus’ sacrifice, we can walk in innocence because of Christ’s blood. No need to wash our hands as long we intend to wash others’ feet. Forward and onward. It’s all up front from here. 

Selah.  Ecce homo. 

Photo creds: pshir.com