Speck vs. Plank

Today while doing homework and enjoying a coffee with a good friend, we overheard a conversation going on behind us. The ladies behind us were talking about the problems they are having with their husband's and then all the of the sudden, one of the ladies said in a fairly loud voice, "Sometimes I can be a really heavy drinker but I have kids at home." The fact that she said it like it was a good thing got me thinking. Does she blame her drinking on her children? Her husband? Does she drink in front of her children? Are her children young? 

It is times like this that I find myself judging others. Matthew 7 does an amazing job explaining what needs to be done in this type of situation. Verses 1-6 read, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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 out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plan out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 'Do not give the gods what is sacred; do not throw pearls to pigs. if you do they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.'" 

Before we pull the speck out of someone else's eye, we need to take the plank out of our own, myself included.