Originally posted as 14364 of June 13th, 2005
26. Jesus said, "You see the sliver in your friend's eye, but you don't
see the timber in your own eye. When you take the timber out of your own
eye, then you will see well enough to remove the sliver from your friend's
eye."
Translation: Patterson and Meyer, as found on
www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.htmlDU, besides listing the above logion on page 79 as being authentic, offers
no specific comment.
A lot could be said about this saying, but one obvious association in the
context of the Course's teaching of forgiveness is that it seems to be a
reminder that we cannot possibly be of help to our brother unless we first
accept the atonement for ourselves. Or to put it differently, if we do not
choose healing we'll continue to choose the ego, and therefore we will
continue in the cycle of projection and attack, and not be a healing
presence to our brothers.
Also the following passage from lesson 154 speaks to the same issue:
quote
There is one major difference in the role of Heaven's messengers, which
sets them off from those the world appoints. 2 The messages that they
deliver are intended first for them. 3 And it is only as they can accept
them for themselves that they become able to bring them further, and to
give them everywhere that they were meant to be. 4 Like earthly
messengers, they did not write the messages they bear, but they become
their first receivers in the truest sense, receiving to prepare themselves
to give.
unquote (ACIM:T-154.6)