Removing The Plank | Devotion

You’re probably most familiar with the verse Matthew 7:3-5 for its stance on our judgment of others. 

³ “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? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

I don’t know about you but every time I hear that word “plank”, I picture a fence post, that’s 6” wide and 8’ long or even bigger.  It’s never just a small board. For whatever reason lately, I’ve been thinking about “planks”.  Not necessarily in the tone of judgment but more so in dealing with a problem.

Have you ever tried to imagine a plank in your eye?  If not, humor me and try it now. Suppose you suddenly realize one day that you have this plank in your eye. If you were in your house, you’d probably want to go to the bathroom where there was more light and a mirror to see this “this thing” that needs to be handled so carefully.

Yet, the plank is so big that you wouldn’t easily be able to get where you needed to be.  No matter how you tried to handle it, you’d probably trip over things on the way there or get caught on furniture and in doorways.  You would have to shift some things around and even handle yourself differently, in order to navigate your path.

If you have kids or pets, forget that bathroom altogether, because they would need to be in the bathroom with you. It would be over capacity by the time you got in there! So in disgust, you’d try to go outside instead, where there is more light and more room to actually remove a plank. By this time, you’re probably so frustrated that you really don’t care who sees you with this problem; you have to get rid of it!

You’re finally outside where you have enough room only to discover that there is another issue. Every time you try to pull this thing out, the far end just keeps getting caught in the dirt.  Your arms are not long enough to hold the opposite end up and you don’t have enough upper body strength to hold up and pull out this thing yourself. You would try it first, just to be sure. You might even wrestle with it for a while. Eventually, you’d realize that you need help.

Maybe neighbors or friends come to your aide. Some of the help might make the problem worse but enough of the right hands in the right spot would be able to free you from this situation in no time.  Even if you just backed up to get away from the problem, you’d probably still need someone to make sure that you didn’t get into a another type of trouble.

Once it was free, I could see how everyone would want to look you and the plank over and then celebrate in its removal.  No matter who helped you and how close you were, you’d always be bonded in a way by that experience.

As corny as it is, what I love about this image are the little things that I gleaned from it by visualizing the whole scenario.

Application

1. First, the saw dust and the plank are the same material, wood. Not just both a type of sin, offense or problem. They are the same. 

2. Ever notice how the thing that annoys you most about someone, turns out to be something that you’re guilty of too. Sigh…

3. Our natural instinct is to run to the mirror when something is wrong with our appearance to see how to fix it.  James 1:23-25 is a verse that references a mirror.  We should check his image to see what we need to get rid of or add in, in order to get our image right.

4. It’s impossible to deal with something (life altering) in a confined space. You will trip, get stuck, hurt yourself and others.  The only way to deal with it is by getting it out in the open.

5. Of course the Son’s light is always brightest!

6. You might know exactly what the solution is but you’re not always strong enough to remove or change the situation on your own.

7. Sometimes, problems can cause us to have blind spots. It’s good to have others that can help you see the full situation or to offer a view from another angle. You also need others to help support you where you are weak.  Sometimes, too many hands in the situation, can cause additional harm but even so, it’s still usually the fastest way to freedom.

8. Certainly when a group works together it brings unity, even if it’s only two people. How much stronger is the unity that is formed during the resolution than it is just in the celebration of victory?

9. Since we are all made to help each other, I wonder if by trying to hold things in, we also deprive the body of our relationships from developing proper trust, respect, appreciation and even the satisfaction of helping each other.

10. Sometimes our greatest ministry is not what we put into words but rather in what we allow others to witness in our own lives. -In showing others the way to victory! HOW we got there!  -Not in a manner that glorifies the problem but to reveal what God is doing in your own life.

11. Could you simply imagine how much lighter you would feel without trying to support the weight of a plank? 

12. Just like this picture, our planks are the only thing that separate us from freedom.

13. If you're helping someone else with their plank, you need to be just as careful with your end (as if it were your own plank) so that you don't further injure the other person.

Prayer

Father God, Thank you for the ability to see a new perspective by using the gift of an imagination. All things in your creation are mighty when used in your power. What a unique design you have given the body to not only help others but to receive help when needed. The unison and harmony that is created and balanced by the give and then the take. Please still our minds so that we can see, not only where we can give more, but where we should also allow others in; If not to develop our own appreciation of their gifts, then to witness to those, who do not yet know where to turn.  Your peace is amazing! Your grace is transforming. Your love endures forever!