Some of the teaching of Jesus can be so familiar that it doesn’t land nearly as richly, and forcibly, as it should. Our familiarity can mean we distil Jesus’ words to an abbreviated version which, while seeming to capture the essence, is missing much of the point.
Jesus teaching about specks and planks (or logs if you prefer) is a case in point. When He first spoke these words, one might imagine the reaction was rather mixed. Some, envisioning the ludicrous picture Jesus was conjuring up, may well have enjoyed the humour of the imagery. But this imagery had an uncomfortable punchline. Thoughtful hearers would soon have been wrestling with the deeper meaning.
Lest we forget the detail, here’s what Jesus had to say: “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 plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matt.7v3-5)
When trigger warnings are necessary
I suspect there is some confusion about trigger warnings. A confusion that exists in Christian circles as well as in …