PC, Specks, and Logs

Here are my ponderings about my last post:

I was thinking about why we don't automatically talk to someone ~ especially believers ~ about using God's name in vain. And I was thinking that in reality we don't reprove anyone for anything anymore.

Galatians 6:1 says,

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression,

you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Maybe we don't consider ourselves spiritual. We start thinking about Matthew 7:3-7:

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is 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 brother’s eye.

And instead of doing something about our log we just ignore it along with the speck in our brother's/sister's eye. Then no one is better off.

Maybe we don't reprove each other because we don't want to hear it ourselves. We don't like to be corrected and told when we're doing something wrong. I mean, really, who enjoys that? I don't. But Proverbs 15:31-33 says,

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Maybe we just don't want to offend anyone. We live in a world overrun with political correctness. We're considered narrow-minded if we believe so strongly about something that we would actually impose that belief on someone else. Is it possible that we've come to believe that it is wrong to offend someone by speaking the truth of God's Word - even to believers?

Galatians talks about pleasing God rather than man. Who are we pleasing?

And in all honesty, there are times I'm asked directly for my advice about parenting and shy away from telling someone what I really think. While I have no problem telling you what to do in specific situations, if you ask me what I think about your parenting or kids I have a hard time spilling it. I don't want to offend.

So what are we to do?

1. Exam our own lives on a daily basis. Ask God to reveal the logs in our own eyes.

2. When it is necessary to speak to someone we should always consider our timing and motives.

3. Speak the truth in love.