Booger Check

Luke 6: ⁴¹ “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? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

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“Keep your nose clean and check for boogers along the way” was the sage advice I was not expecting. I was headed into meet with the steering committee to discuss an important project and needed some pointers. “What was that supposed to mean?”

I blew off the advice and went to seek those who were more critical. I got plenty of advice. One day, an executive pulled me to the side and asked me “Why are you hanging around the group who drags people down?”

• There were times when I wanted to be part of the critical group.
• There were times when I wanted to criticize versus being criticized.
• There were times when I kept company with nay-sayers and I soon turned into one of them.

JESUS points out how deep a critical heart can run. I believe HE was saying “How can you be critical with others when you have not declared yourself a disaster?”

• GOD wants me to check my attitude when I approach HIM or HIS children.
• GOD wants me to look at myself before I step in with HIM.
• GOD wants me to examine my pitiful attempt at righteousness and count my actions as dung instead of patting myself on the back.

I finally learned I needed to do a “Booger check” with others. We would sit together and help each other with our blind spots. This close group would eventually watch each other’s back and would accept advice as well as dish it out. GOD wants me to admit I need help first before jumping in and providing my “wisdom.”

• Are you critical of others?
• Do you find wrong in what other people easily?
• Can you examine yourself before you are critical of others so you will change your approach with them?