Matthew 7:1-5 NASB
(1) "Do not judge so that you will not be judged.(2) "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
(3) "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
(4) "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
(5) "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.
Matthew 7:13-27 NASB
(13) "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.(14) "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
(15) "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
(16) "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
(17) "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
(18) "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
(19) "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
(20) "So then, you will know them by their fruits.
(21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
(22) "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
(23) "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
(24) "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
(25) "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
(26) "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
(27) "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."
Astrid Olsen put this graphic on facebook today (way to go, Astrid) and it is a good one!!! And those of us who call ourselves Christians can relate to it. Face it, we all do things we wish we didn't do and hate ourselves for doing them. But, God works on us, improving our lives. Sometimes it is easy to spot the wrong that we do, and at other times it takes a long time to realize how we err. But, Jesus is always there and with his help, we always strive to be the best we can be!!! The verses above are especially important because if someone has ever called you a hypocrite to your face, they come back to haunt you!!! Usually, this happens when someone feels threatened about their own sin and as a defensive measure they attack YOU!!! However, look to the "log" in your own eye (heavy emphasis on LOG [seems to me that this refers to big things, doesn't it?] !!!!) and judge fairly!!! I think the key to dealing with all this is to know in your heart that you are earnestly, constantly, and perhaps even fervently seeking to know God's will and do it. If the apostle Paul could refer to himself as the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and from reading his letters I think it is safe to say that he was utterly committed to Christ and undoubtedly sincere. Then, what about the average Christian? Like Ezra of old, dedicate yourself to the following...
Ezra 7:10 NASB
(10) For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
and think about that picture...