Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

The beam and the speck. Both are real, both are irritants that must be removed,and both are considerably misunderstood or ignored. But what’s the point here? Before ministering God’s truth to others, first let’s be honest with ourselves. We tend to easily see small issues (specks) in others while missing huge issues (beams) in ourselves.

Nothing is hidden before God. Many scriptures support this … Psalm 33:13,15 Adonai looks down from heaven. He observes all humanity … He who fashions the hearts of all, who discerns all their deeds. And the Messianic Rabbi, who wrote the book of Hebrews, emphasized this … Hebrews 4:13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

We are admonished by Paul to examine ourselves before taking communion. 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and then let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

The message of this part of Yeshua’s “Big Sermon” is really the same as throughout His ministry. Peter was ministering in the name of Yeshua when he came to the point … Acts 3:19-20 Repent, therefore, and return – so your sins might be blotted out, so times of relief might come from the presence of Adonai and He might send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you.

The Hebrew word for “repentance” is t’shuvah. It means to change direction. “TURN” from evil and pursue righteousness. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Both the beam and the speck are forms of being conformed to this world. If we don’t “fix” ourselves first (turn from evil), before we minister healing to others, we are what Yeshua describes as hypocrites. Let’s commit to avoid that.

It’s so easy to get right with God, because He is perfect (never wrong, late missing, distracted or even partially wrong). We get right with Him on the basis of His righteousness, not our own. Hear His invitation, today … Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’