Plank Eye Disease – Pt 1

If you’re looking for part 2 of a 2 part series of Plank Eye Disease, you can find it by clicking here.

Plank Eye Disease – (plaNGk i di’zez)
1. A disorder affecting people with a high propensity to judge and criticize others
2. A particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people negatively

Plank Eye Disease is something that anyone can develop. Sometimes when I hear a person unlovingly criticize another, I begin to imagine a plank growing out of their eye like Pinocchio’s nose when he lies. But I’m far from immune to Plank Eye Disease, which is why when I created a graphic for this blog post, I chose a picture of me.

How can you know if you have Plank Eye Disease? I believe there are two symptoms of Plank Eye Disease. Part 1 of this 2 part blog series will deal with the 1st symptom.

I remember back when I first heard this phrase. I was in middle school and a little diva girl just got done snapping her fingers in the shape of a Z and spoke those words to me. Forget about the fact that she was about to go crazy on me for getting “all up in her grill”. the truth is “You betta check yo self ‘for you wreck yo self” were words of wisdom from the mouth of a child.

In her mind she was warning me, but she didn’t realize that I would heed those words to this very day. Not only do I believe that this statement applies to checking ourselves but it also applies to not checking others, especially when we haven’t checked ourselves. Let me explain.

Basically, you shouldn’t be trying to get the speck out of someone else’s eye if you haven’t gotten the plank out of your own. If you’re going to judge someone, you better have thoroughly judged yourself in the same regard and before you tell them where they can check themselves. You also need to figure out a way to say it lovingly else you’re just tearing down and not building up. You can be destructive as opposed to constructive. By tearing them down, you could be tearing yourself apart at the same time. This is symptom number 1: Checking out others more than you check yourself. Another way to say it is “Trying to humble others more than you humble yourself.”

How do I know this?
The Bible says in Matthew 7:2, ‘For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged’

I look at thoughts and words spoken throughout a day like a landscape. You’ve only got so much real estate for that day and you get to decide what you make of that landscape. Is it going to be full of life or full of death?

You can literally destroy your future focusing on someone else’s present. Every negative word you focus on telling someone is a missed opportunity to give encouragement to that person or show genuine love.

You can literally destroy your future focusing on someone else’s present.

Imagine how our great our relationships would be if we humbled ourselves more than we try to humble others. So who in your life needs words of encouragement? Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog series to find out if you have the 2nd symptom of Plank Eye Disease!

UPDATE: Click Here for Part 2: Give Your Gavels To God