It’s easy to blame someone else for your problems, isn’t it? After all, people hurt us all the time. Yet, I can’t help but feel it’s always easier to point out the worst in others than face the issues we have in ourselves.
In his book, The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis said
“As regards my own sins it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men’s sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought. But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine percent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one percent of guilt which is left over. To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. To be Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.
“This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.” We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says.”
Jesus said that if I wanted to rid the speck of dust in my brother’s eye, I have to first address the tree in my own. He didn’t say that it matters if that speck of dust was really hurtful. It doesn’t matter what that speck of dust in my brother’s eye is about. I have a glaring issue of my own. Many times, we use the flaws of others to keep from dealing with our own, but I can’t deal with someone else’s issues. Not truly. They have to do that. I can only deal with that tree growing within my own eye. And when it comes down to it, My sins are what Jesus wants to deal with in me, not the sins someone else has done. Don’t get me wrong, I should preach the Gospel, I should preach that Jesus is an enemy of Sin, but before I ever point at anyone else’s I need to address that tree. Jesus was tortured and nailed to a tree for my sin. He suffered, bore the wrath of God on Himself and died, and I am to blame.
Now, take what I said of me, and apply it to you. It’s easy to point at what he did or what she said, but what about you? You can’t forgive unless that issue, or those issues that are holding you back in your redemption, are dealt with. You’ll remain hurt by others if you don’t address the wounds you inflicted on yourself. And the only way to address them is to submit them to Jesus Christ who bore your sins, and mine, into eternity. He is the great healer. He walked among us as one of us. He knows the load we carry, and He knows you cannot carry it. Let it go. Give it up. He is qualified. He will remove that tree from your eye so you can see others, even those who have hurt you, more clearly.
Matthew 5:21-26,
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:38-48,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 7:1-6
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is 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 brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
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