The Light of Perception Must Burn Brightly

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Lu 6:41 AV)

Fault finders are usually oblivious to their own, no matter how large they are.  It is interesting the one finding fault finds a mote.  Another word for sliver.  All the while they cannot even perceive a beam in their own lives.  The word ‘perceive’ is interesting.  It means more than mere seeing.  It goes beyond blindness.  It means one does not even consider the possibility that it might be there.  A blind person at least can imagine there is something present.  He may not know what it is until he feels for it.  It involves more than just the sense of sight.  The sense of smell, touch, and hearing are involved to, at least, give the understanding there is something there.  To be unable to perceive means that all senses are blocked and there is no sense whatsoever that there is something there.  Even if it cannot be seen.

Every once in a while, I have to go into our bedroom with the lights off.  It is a very dark room.  I am not willing to wait the five minutes for my eyes to adjust, so I trudge along very slowly, hoping not to trip or stub my toe on any object not seen.  The safeguard is always assuming, even if it may not be reality, that there might be something there that can cause harm.  However, every once in a while, I may trudge through with a little pride in my heart thinking I am well aware of my surrounds and ignore the sound of my footsteps radiating off a foreign object and stub my toe!  It all depends if the light of perception is on or off.  Whether that light of perception is on or off never changes the reality of a foreign objects existence.  If it is not there, then I am safe.  If it is there, then I am still safe.  Perception is the key.

We walk on dangerous ground when we do not consider the basic truths of faults.  We all have them.  Some of our faults are motes, while others are beams.  No one is free from either.  Some have motes in areas that others have beams.  Some have beams in areas where others have motes.  It is our human nature.  We must always be aware these motes and beams exist.  It will not remove the mote in another’s eye, but by perceiving we have motes and beams, will grant us the humility to help another.