The Logs in Our Eyes: Makenzie's Homily

“He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye’”

Luke 6: 39-42

Have y’all ever read a passage of scripture, like, a million times, but then you read it one day and all of a sudden, it’s just different? This passage was like that for me. I’ve always understood this passage as we should not be a hypocrite, trying to ignore our sins while judging others for theirs. But while I was reading these verses to write a homily, I noticed something in them I never paid attention to before. Or, if it was ever preached to me, I guess I just didn’t get it. Jesus says we should take the log out of our own eye, so that we will be able to see clearly to help our brother. I’ve always kind of ignored the “helping your brother” part. Jesus isn’t correcting us or calling us out on our hypocrisy because He hates us or wants us to feel like trash. And He’s definitely not saying that we shouldn’t call out our brothers and sisters if they are living in sin. However, what He really wants for us is that we recognize that we’re sinners. I’ve called myself a sinner before, but it’s not until recently that I’ve actually understood what that means. I’ve always had an attitude of like, “Yeah, I’m a sinner, but…” and then I’d come up with something like “I’m not as bad as that guy” or like “I should’ve known better.” But what I’ve been learning recently and what Jesus is calling us to when He says to tend to the log in our own eye is to accept that we are a sinner, because, if we don’t know how much we actually need the grace of God, then we can’t look at our brother or sister and know how much they really need the grace of God. We are sinners, y’all. Like, we are a people whose hearts go astray. Sinners who are in need of the gifts offered at the Communion table. So when we as the Church gather at the table, we should go remembering that we’re sinners, so that we may teach transgressors His ways and sinners will return to Him. Amen.

Makenzie McCabe is serving as a ministry intern at the Wesley this year. She loves making bread and when there are spontaneous Wesley dance parties. You can always count on her to give you the best hug!