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Luke 6:39-42
There are several good teachings from this passage such as, “Can the blind lead the blind?” (Luke 6:39, NKJV) which is instructing that one who is teaching or leading needs to have a knowledge of what he or she is teaching as to not lead or teach falsely. “A disciple is not above his teacher” (Luke 6:40) indicates that we are never more important than our teacher, but that learning from them and then growing in that teaching, because of their teaching, can allow us to expand on that teaching, but always with respect for the teacher. And lastly, and most importantly, Jesus declares in Luke 6:42, “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” Jesus teaches that we should be concerned with our own issues (sins) and how we can find forgiveness for them, instead of the more common reaction to our own sins which is to find fault with everyone around us as to seek a false security in denial of our own sins by pointing out the sins of others.
This is a command to seek guidance from God’s Word, apply that teaching in our own lives, and then in respect to one another.
This is a command to have a sincere heart.
This is a command to rid ourselves of pride and arrogance.
This is a command to seek forgiveness for our own sins, and then we will be equipped to be a guide to others with respect, not condescension.
Many of us have a desire to be helpful to others, and there are many ways in which one can be a guide or helping hand to those around us. In Luke 6:39-42 Jesus is teaching that we need to look first at our own lives and be honest about the areas in which we need to seek improvement/forgiveness. We need to develop a humility to God in admitting that we need His help and forgiveness each day, for we live in a sinful world and Satan strives each day to make us all fall to sin in his attempt to pull us away from our relationship with God. The sinful nature that lives in each of us will strive to fill us with conceit and hypocrisy as the devil tries to lead us to point out our own faults in the lives of others in a weak attempt to justify our own lives.
Jesus is teaching sincerity, honesty, and humility in Luke 6:39-42. These are three things that Satan wants us to have nothing to do with, and he will use the sinful nature of this world to hold us in pride and arrogance as he strives to keep us from following Jesus and the new commandment He gives us in John 13:34-35 as He teaches, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Love does not force us to follow its commandments. The choice is yours to make as love must be received and accepted openly by each of us and then freely given by each of us. God sent His Son to die on the cross, paying the penalty for our sins; we must each make the choice to accept Jesus and invite Him to live in our hearts through our faith in Him. We cannot rid ourselves of pride and arrogance and put on sincerity, humility, and honesty without first accepting forgiveness from Jesus and making the choice to begin living a new life in Him. We must first remove the “plank” from our own eye. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
Dear Lord,
Please help us to see that it is Satan that fills us with pride and arrogance, and that he will use these to blind us from seeing the true love that You have given us in forgiveness through Jesus. Please remove our blinders of pride and arrogance that we may see Your true love for us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). In Jesus name I pray, amen.