“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?
(Matthew 7:3 NIV)
Why is it easier to spot rebellion in others than recognize it in ourselves? A story has been told about a woman always complaining about her neighbor’s dirty windows. She blamed her marred view on her neighbor. One day she decided to set an example by washing her own windows. Maybe her neighbor would take the hint and wash hers. To the woman’s shock and amazement, once her windows were cleaned, so were her neighbors! The whole time she was the one with the dirty windows.
Focusing on another’s rebellion can blind us to the fact that we may not be following the Lord. Maybe we have rebellious teenagers who are making poor choices. We see them headed for disaster, so we let worry anxiety, and fear invades our hearts. We might blame our sleepless nights on their rebellion. But we are choosing to live up to the truth that we know? Are we praying without ceasing? Are we trusting the Lord with all our hearts?
The truth we know in our heads must penetrate our hearts. We will not be held responsible for the rebellion of others. However, God will hold us accountable for our choices. Concentrate on living up to the truth we’ve been given, and leave the rest to the Lord.