Luke 6:39-42

Posted by DJL on Apr 24, 2013 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

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.”

In some ways, I think this passage answers the question we raised about the previous one, as these collected sayings seem to fall more clearly into the realm of wisdom literature.

Wisdom is a kind of writing, or literary genre, that tries to draw helpful principles and general guidelines from observing the natural world and human society. In some ways, it is the opposite of history. History is interested in particularities: who did what when and why it mattered. Wisdom moves in the other direction, interested not in particularities and exceptions but in generalities.

Here, Jesus applies the conventions of wisdom literature to life in the kingdom. First, some general observations – we can’t offer others what we don’t have; we need guides and mentors. If you follow the counsel of your teacher, you may also become like your teacher. This is clearly instruction about the life of a disciple.

Then, he moves to the more peculiar logic of the kingdom, returning to the theme above about judgment: don’t judge others; worry about yourself; instead of focusing on something someone else has done wrong, take care of your problems first.

This is, in general, good advice. But it also runs contrary to our inclination to avoid responsibility for our actions and focus instead on others. Of course we look to the speck in our neighbor’s eye – how much more satisfying not only to see their problem but to be able to solve it than to have to deal with our own.

Simple, clear guidelines by which to live. And perhaps for that reason easy to dismiss. But imagine, for a moment, if we lived this way. I didn’t hazard to correct you until I’d cleaned up my own act. I recognized that I had a lot to learn. I aspired to work hard enough that I might one day teach others. In general, I acted in a way that contributed to the life and health of the community rather than sought only my own interests.

Good advice – kingdom advice – to be sure.

Prayer: Dear God, curb our penchant to focus on the shortcomings of others and help us to take responsibility for our actions that together we might live into your kingdom of mutual trust, care, and respect. In Jesus’ name, Amen.