Every Plank is Made of Specks

Read The Daily:
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” – Matthew 7:3

Jesus never said your friend was perfect—He just said you probably aren’t either. That’s a hard pill to swallow in a world where calling people out is a full-time hobby. But unity doesn’t grow in critique culture—it grows in humility. And humility starts when we stop making enemies out of people who hurt us and start asking honest questions like: “What am I bringing into this?”

When someone offends us, we default to blame. “They should’ve known better.” “They didn’t even check in.” But Jesus flips it. What if we started with our own stuff first? Maybe we’re overly sensitive because of past hurt. Maybe we’re carrying insecurity they didn’t even cause. Maybe they were wrong—but so were we.

Grace starts where blame stops

What would happen if, before venting or ghosting, you asked God to show you the plank in your own eye? Not to excuse what they did—but to set you free from the bitterness that’s building. Unity doesn’t come from pretending everything’s fine. It comes from getting honest about what’s not—starting with you.

The good news? You don’t have to fix yourself to come to Jesus. You don’t even have to pretend to be better than you are. In fact, it’s your mess that qualifies you for grace. You’re already forgiven. Already loved. Already accepted. And when you live from that grace, you don’t have to be defensive anymore—you can be free.

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: Mark 10:1-16 & 1 Corinthians 16:1-11

Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them. Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?” Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?” “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.” But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.” One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.  Mark 10:1-16

Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me. I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me. When Timothy comes, don’t intimidate him. He is doing the Lord’s work, just as I am. Don’t let anyone treat him with contempt. Send him on his way with your blessing when he returns to me. I expect him to come with the other believers.  1 Corinthians 16:1-11

Read More – Bible Project Overviews: Mark, 1 Corinthians