May 17

Finding Fault with Others

Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? — Matt 7:3

It is strange how oblivious we can be of our own faults and blemishes, and how clearly we can see those of other people. One old writer says: “Men are more apt to use spectacles than looking-glasses — spectacles to behold other men’s faults than looking-glasses to behold their own.” A man can see a little speck of dust in his neighbour’s eye while utterly unaware of the great beam in his own eye. He observes the most minute fault in his brother while unconscious of his own far greater fault.

We would say that a beam in a man’s eye would so blind him that he could not see the mote in another’s eye. As our Lord represents it, however, the man with the beam is the very one who sees the mote and thinks himself competent to pull it out. So it is in morals. No man is so sharp at seeing a fault in another as he who has the same or a similar fault of his own. A vain man is the first to detect the indications of vanity in another. A bad-tempered person is most apt to be censorious toward a neighbour who displays bad temper. One with a sharp uncontrolled tongue has the least patience with another whose speech is full of poisoned arrows. A selfish man discovers even motes of selfishness in others. Rude people are the very first to be hurt and offended by rudeness in a neighbour.

So it is always. If we are quick to perceive blemishes and faults in others, the probability is that we have far greater blemishes and faults in ourselves. This truth ought to make us exceedingly careful in our judgments and exceedingly modest in our expressions of censure, for we really are telling the world our own faults. It is wiser, as well as more in accordance with the spirit of Christ, for us to find lovely things in others, and to be silent regarding their faults.