A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he?

Luke 6:39-7:10 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴² Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. ⁴³ For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. ⁴⁵ The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

⁴⁶ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

7 When He had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum. ² And a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. ³ When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. ⁴ When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this to him; ⁵ for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” ⁶ Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; ⁷ for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ⁹ Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” ¹⁰ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

In John 14:6, Jesus says: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  In today’s text He says:  “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?”   Many today, who are blind, lead others and many follow those who are blind. They heed the words of those who say there are many ways to the Father. Indeed there are many paths we can take. There are many guides who say they can show us the way. In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says:  “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”   We would like to believe that all or at least most people will get to heaven, but that seems to be at odds with what Jesus says. He says many take the path or the many paths that lead to destruction. Few choose the narrow way of life. Christians are often accused of being narrow minded, but in truth that’s what Jesus says we should be.

Jesus continues in the text saying:  “Why do you look at 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, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”   Before we can lead or guide someone else, we must first be certain that we are not blind. There are many things which can obstruct our vision. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says:  We walk by faith, not by sight.  In faith, believing and trusting in Christ, relying on the Holy Spirit to remind us of all that Jesus said, is the only way we can truly see clearly. If we will follow Jesus, then we can lead others.   

Jesus says:  “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:  he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”   It is essential that we call Jesus Lord. Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21 and Romams 10:13 all say:  Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.  Still, even more than calling Jesus Lord, we need to make Him Lord. It does us no good to call Jesus Lord, if we do not do what He says. If we call Him Lord but do not do what He says, we have no foundation to stand on. Again, how can we help others, how can we lead others to safety, if we ourselves are being swept away? If we hear what Jesus says and act on His words, we have a sure foundation that can withstand anything that comes against us. In John 16:33 Jesus says:  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”   When people see those who believing standing strong and walking through difficult times it cause them to want that same foundation; that same overcoming power.

In Matthew 7:1-2, in his account of the teaching about the log and the speck in the eye, it begins:  “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”   Certainly we should not judge others. But, in today’s text Jesus says:  “There is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”   It is the heart that God judges, but the things that people say and the things that they do often reveal their heart. While we should not judge others, we should be fruit inspectors. Galatians 5:16-25 says:  Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  

Thank You Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit; that though once I was blind, now I can see. Help me to see clearly, to live and walk by the Spirit, that others too may see.  Amen.