Finding Faults in Others

Chuckle: "The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. Conclusion: Eat what you like. It's speaking English that's killing you!"

Quote: "Close your eyes to the faults of others, and you open the doors of friendship." --William Arthur Ward

FINDING FAULTS IN OTHERS

Jesus said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3-4 NIV).

If we aren't careful, we will catch ourselves feeling some sort of perverse pleasure from pointing out faults in others, while, at the same time, having difficulty seeing our own. Sometimes, a startling realization comes over us when we discover that the faults in others that are so bothersome to us are the very traits we find in ourselves. Often, our own bad habits and weaknesses are the very ones we most want to point out in others.

We can find it much easier to magnify the faults of others while finding excuses or justifications for our own. Perhaps this is because we experience satisfaction by classifying our own faults as serious only when seen in others. By seeing ourselves in the shadow of someone else's faults, we can feel better and not be so concerned about the relative insignificance of our own -- as we see them.

Jesus tells us to examine our own motives and actions rather than sitting in judgment of others. Jesus said this in verses 1-2 of our chapter: "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged." Here, Jesus is identifying the kind of hypocritical attitude that wants to tear down someone else in order to make oneself be seen in a more favorable light -- trying to make ourselves look better at the expense of others.

We are wise if we look at ourselves in the mirror of God's Word before focusing our attention on the faults of others. After doing this, you may be surprised at how your desire to find faults in others will diminish. You will likely become increasingly concerned with asking God's help and forgiveness in dealing with your own faults.

A man was applying for the job of private secretary to Winston Churchill. Before introducing him, an aunt of Churchill's told the man, "Remember, you will see all of Winston's faults in the first five hours. It will take you a lifetime to discover all his virtues." Let’s pray that God will make us aware of our faults while seeing the virtues in others.  

Love, Jerry & Dotse