Look Again
Luke 6:39-49
What do you see when you look into your heart?
Photo by Geronimo Giqueaux on Unsplash
He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log 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 neighbor's eye. "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house." - Luke 6:39-49
Jesus is compounding his parables to make a point in today's reading from Luke. It could be that Luke has compiled these for a reason.
First, we have a lesson about leadership. Who we follow matters. If our leaders are blind to God's will, we will be led astray.
Now, the leaders of the faith at the time believed they knew God's will for the people, so that is something to bear in mind for all of us.
The next lesson is about judging people. We've heard this many times before, and we all assume that guy who has a log in his eye is not me. Look again.
The next lesson tells us that what is in our makeup, in our hearts, determines what fruits we bear. We think we bear good fruit because we think we are good. Look again.
Finally, it is the foundation of our faith and our lives that determines how well we survive all that is thrown at us in this life. Have we built a strong enough foundation? Look again.
I am not saying we have failed at these things. I am simply saying that Jesus is making us take a close look at ourselves and our choices. It never hurts to look again.
More to come...