The Plank in my Eye

³ And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? ⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. - Mark 14:3-6

     "And they criticized her sharply." What a sad statement. I'm afraid it could apply to me frequently. This woman has made a tremendous sacrifice. She has just anointed Christ with something worth thousands of dollars in our society. She has given up what quite possibly could have been her life savings. She has shown humility and pure worship. Yet the response from those nearby is one of criticism. How often do I struggle with this in my own heart? I criticize my brothers and sisters for their personal walk with God. I pick apart their actions and discuss the validity and sincerity of what they do. I questions the worship of those around me, or accuse them of being fake. First and foremost, why am I even concerned about a walk that is not my own? It is my job to worry about my relationship, not my neighbor's. Second, why am I so critical? Only God can judge the heart and our intentions. Why do I create strife and drama within the body of Christ? Matthew 7:3-4 ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? I need to look at my own predicament first. My human nature is constantly trying to prove that I am good, at the expense of those around me. We are called to be a family; the body of Christ. We are to move and function as one. I feel that the church today is so full of criticism that it cannot function properly. Notice that Jesus reprimands the critical ones and praises the woman. Jesus wants worship, not whining. How often do we shun a neighboring church because they differ on a minor theological issue? Are we not called to be "one" body? Anointing Jesus with expensive oil is pleasing to Him. Selling expensive oil and using the money to help the poor is pleasing to Him as well. There is no need for criticism. It is my prayer that Christians worldwide will start coming together to further the kingdom of God. The criticism and cliques need to stop. We need to stop criticizing and start cooperating. I don't like the thought of standing before the throne, telling my Lord that I wasn't faithful because I was too busy analyzing someone else.