Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? ”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, February 4, 2021
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Perhaps it’s not an accident that this text should appear just days before one of the most divisive political proceedings in American history. Whether you live in the US or not, there are plenty of other things going on in the world with the power to divide us against our neighbors. (How should we tackle a global pandemic while maintaining economic health and equity?) Divisions exist worldwide, and opinions have become increasingly polarized.
I don’t know about you, but I have experienced this past year (longer, really) with high anxiety. Anxiety exacerbates tensions, and tension makes me want to dig in my heels on the things I believe in. The last thing I want to do when it seems the whole world is falling apart is to compromise on my beliefs—it sometimes feel as though what I believe is the only thing I can hold on to.
But then I read these wise words in Luke and I realize I have no moral standing to judge those who opinions differ from mine. As hard as it is (‘cause I’m right, you know), I have to approach conversations and behaviors with the idea that I might not be right. Because if I’m willing to entertain the idea that another might be on to something, and if they too, are willing to listen and learn, then together we can arrive at a point neither could have come to alone.
Wisdom is not formed in a vacuum. The wisest among us have surrounded themselves with others that challenge them and push them to deeper understanding. If I only ever listen to my own voice, then I will never grow. The more diverse the voices in my arena, the greater we all will become, and the greater things we can do together. Instead of “a blind person [guiding] a blind person” (v. 39), we can become people who see more clearly, and we can navigate the pits together.
Whose wise words can challenge you to see more clearly?
