The Invisible Plank In Our Eyes
LENT 2023 | DAY 22
Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV)
(Foo Yu Da, Chairperson, Witness & Evangelism)
READ:
Matthew 7:1-6 (NIV)
DAILY REFLECTION:
The longer I am with someone, the more I take them for granted and zoom in on their weaknesses as opposed to my own. We often judge others by our own standards since our expectations are often set by our own. I am certainly prone to falling into this line of thinking eight years into my marriage. “Why would you not appreciate all my contributions for this family?” and “Why am I always the one that needs to work on my weaknesses?”, I would ask.
What a reminder from God on our human condition. The speck I see in my wife’s eye is often magnified without me realising the plank in my own eye, which is exponentially larger. To the question “Why would you not appreciate all my contributions for this family?”, the answer could well be because I have not spent quality time with her, which is far more important to her than any other contribution I have made. Similarly, to the other question, “Why am I always the one that needs to work on my weaknesses?”, it could well be because I have failed to appreciate the extent of my weaknesses, such as my lack of communication and intentional connection, which means so much to my wife.
I could argue that this is who I am, so take it or leave it. But I am not who I am. I am who God intended me to be, and that is a child of God. I need to first look inward to acknowledge my own sinful nature and work on my weaknesses and then allow God to transform me so that I can bless those around me. By the grace and strength of God, this perspective has really helped transform me to be a blessing in my marriage just as I have been very blessed by my wife in our marriage. A marriage with God at the centre indeed serves to make me holy, which is infinitely more meaningful and fulfilling than simply to make me happy. I am so thankful for this transformational work of God in me. It is grounded in truth, exemplified by the death of Christ on the cross, and supported by the power of the Holy Spirit.
FAMILY DISCUSSION POINTERS:
1. What is our natural reaction to conflicts in our family?
2. What is God’s instruction for how we should react and approach conflict in our family?
3. What practical steps, that are God-centred, can we take to be better at handling disagreements and conflicts?
