little pieces

a reflection on Matthew 7:3

little pieces of dust
big pieces of wood
dust to dust, ashes to ashes
we all live with the dust and the wood

which do I pay attention to?
which do I focus on first?
the wood in my own eye
my flaws, my sin
is invisible until I purposefully stop to examine,
to assess, and then
to ask forgiveness
“The unexamined life is not worth living”
but taking stock, really looking
is hard
so much easier on the ego to point out
look at the dust you are carrying
yet where does that get any of us?

I can only look at life through my
own lens
of experience, not yours
mind your own beeswax – perhaps

 
but rather than withdrawing or judging
what if I seek to understand –
listen, ask questions, open space
for your story to be told
 
we all have a story that needs to be told
and, just maybe, when we tell our stories
stories with chapters of dust
and chapters of wood
we will see each other clearly
whole, human, children of God