Hypocrites!

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck of your eye,' when all the all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:3-5 NIV)

Why is it that the very people who can always see wrong with others, can never see wrong with themselves?

Always and never--absolutes that are seldom true for any person for any reason. None of us are always right and to say "never" is a pie-in-the-sky-dream that exists only in the minds of those who are so self-righteous they forget they, too, are mere human beings.

When people think they're the only ones who do things right--they usually do the very thing for which they criticize others--setting up a domino effect--because doing one stupid thing, leads to other stupid things being done.

When adults cannot listen or hear others who warn and speak truth, they open the door for all sorts of things to happen and then they want to blame everyone but themselves. Communication is key to any and every situation but when people refuse to talk--to confront issues--and instead allow anger to direct their thoughts, those thoughts lead to doing other things--injustices for others (especially kids), and then that injustice leads to provocation--provoking others to do even more stupid things until finally, the only thing left is a puddle of stupid--with footprints leading to disaster--all because people don't want to confront issues.

So, where does hypocrisy come into the picture? For adults who think they're above reproach and can only mete out unjust punishments, and then claim they are being led by Holy Spirit--they lie and when they lie about being led by Holy Spirit--we know which spirit is actually leading them. Holy Spirit does not provoke people into doing stupid; He does not unfairly judge a matter and mete out inappropriate consequences; nor is He afraid to confront a situation that needs resolution. Holy Spirit does not promote anger that seethes and increases into more stupid acts, but He reminds us of The Word and then when we hear Him, He guides what we say and do.

If we allow our emotions to guide us--Holy Spirit will not overrule them, but when we get the results of our actions--more stupid, then we should recognize that we didn't know what we were doing in the first place.

The simple solution to most problems is simply this--hear Holy Spirit or those who have been observant and see trouble and warned us about impending danger. Listening--avoids the subsequent stupid things that happen that could lead to serious consequences that cannot be reversed. We should all learn to think before we do and then we won't have time to focus on others--pointing out their faults when we refuse to see our own--being hypocrites.

Lord, help us to see ourselves before we ruin the lives of others in our quest to be more than we are. In our imperfections and flaws we have hope because of Your perfect love.  Give us a heart to love as You do, without blame or fault-finding.