Who's Guilty?

Read: Matthew 7:1-5

Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye. --- Matthew 7:5

The Bible In One Year:
Genesis 23-24
Matthew 7

A North Carolina man accused his estranged wife of being married to two men. When the woman was arrested, she didn't deny the charge of bigamy. She not only admitted her guilt, but she also told authorities that she must have been crazy to get married twice without having gone through divorce or widowhood.

That was only half the story. What surprised her, she said, was that her husband would turn her in, because her was guilty of the same crime. When the countercharges were explored, the husband admitted that he too was illegally married to two women.

This husband is an example of what Jesus described in Matthew 7:1-5. While having a "plank" in his own eye, the man pointed critically to a "speck" in the eye of his wife. Both had broken the law by being married to two people at the same time. His sin, however, was the greater because he was arrogant to think he could get away with judging another person for the same sin he was committing.

The message is clear. Christ shows mercy to us when we admit our sin, but He judges our hypocrisy and pride when we refuse to be humbled in His presence.

Let's deal with our own sin and not become experts in pointing out the sins of others. --- Mart De Haan

Don't be too harsh with the one who sins,
Nor pelt him with word or stone,
Unless you are sure, yes, doubly sure,
That you have no sins of your own. --- Anon.

MOST OF US ARE FAR-SIGHTED ABOUT SIN --- WE SEE THE SINS OF OTHERS BUT NOT OUR OWN.