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?” Luke 6:39-41
Do I not notice the log in my own eye?
It’s not a rhetorical question. A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that’s only asked for effect or to emphasize a point. Often, no answer is expected from a rhetorical question; the answer is implied.
When Jesus asks questions as a methodology for deepening discipleship it is so that we can put our words into action. Rather than “thinking our way into believing”, Jesus uses questions in order to “behave our way into believing.” Both are important, of course, but Jesus didn’t just want life to be “business as usual”; instead he hopes to create an answering person who wants to be transformed through a relationship with him.
And so Jesus asks questions. Good questions. Transforming questions. Questions that call us to dig deep within ourselves in order to come up with an answer that reflects our values and commitments.
He asks good questions; not just rhetorical questions or questions that can be simply answered with a “yes” or “no.” Nor does he ask “why” questions that often lead to a downward spiral because the answers we receive are often negative. He asks empowering questions that require empowered answers which, in turn, lead to empowered lives.
Did I not notice the log in my own eye? Well, yes Jesus, I notice, but it’s been there so long that I don’t remember how it got there, nor do I know how to get rid of it. And yes, I sometimes feel like a blind person, and I often fall into a pit.
Will Lent this year be rhetorical for you? Will the next weeks of your Lenten journey be “business as usual”? Or will you open yourself up to the possibility that this Lent can be different for you? It can be different if you approach it differently, if you invest yourself differently, and if you ask different questions of yourself and of others who join you on this transformative journey through Lent.
Unfortunately, the truth is that you do have a log in your own eye. The Good News is that it can be removed. And even better yet, you can see your faith in Jesus in a new and clear way.
Questions to Ponder
- What are some really good questions that you’re planning to ask God when you get to heaven?
- Do you find it easier to find a speck in someone else’s eye? What have you found is most helpful to you and the other person when you see it?
- Is this journey through Lent starting to be different from other Lents for you? Why or why not?
Prayer for Today: Passionate God, give me vision for what you truly want me to see. Grant me forgiveness for things in my life that irritate me, give me compassion for those I know that really need it, and remove the log in my eye so I might see Jesus with fresh and clear eyes. Amen.
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