The Pharisees were basically the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They were zealous about obedience to God – which was good! But they had a problem. Their behavior didn’t match their hearts. That is, they weren’t obedient for the right reasons, and Jesus called them out on it. God wanted their good deeds to flow out of grateful hearts. He wants the same for us.

Jesus had a lot to say about those who are quick to criticize others without looking at their own faults first. He said that doing so is like trying to remove a speck a sawdust from your friend’s eye when you’ve got a plant of wood sticking out of your own. That would be crazy, right? That’s exactly Jesus’ point. It is crazy! This week we’re learning to deal with our own sin before trying to address it in others.

Jesus had so many amazing encounters with ordinary men and women. Take the woman at the well, for example. She was decidedly ordinary – and really rather immoral. But Jesus met her right where she was. He spoke the truth about her past and offered her grace in the present. He does the same for us. He doesn’t pretend we haven’t sinned. He doesn’t overlook our faults. Instead, He offers to graciously take them upon Himself and graciously gives us a life with Him now – and into eternity.