08-16-25

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 16, 2025
Jesus asked a lot of uncomfortable questions that we have too easily drained of the discomfort. In Matthew 7:3, Jesus asked the question, “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye?” Jesus was frustrated with the hypocrisy of some folks, including the religious leaders, but many people who read these words do so from the perspective of the one who is being judged for the speck. Don’t get me wrong—we’ve all been there. But why is it difficult to see the log in our own eye? Well, let me suggest that the log was not originally a log, but something that grew ever-so-slowly over time, and for that reason, has gone unnoticed. And sometimes, even if it is noticed, we’ve become so attached to it and so comfortable with it that we do not want to make the change. Tomorrow in worship, we will be exploring the idea of self-awareness and the often painful process of awakening to a truth about ourselves that we do not like.

As a provider of both strength and loving kindness, O Holy One, I seek you as a partner in exploring those parts of my life that I may not want to explore. Thank you for walking alongside me, even when the progress is slow. Amen.