“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceives not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.” -Luke 6:41, 42; Matthew 7:3-5.

The parable of a man with a beam in his own eye trying to pick a mote out of his brother’s eye was a forceful method whereby the Master inculcated the necessity of humility on the part of those who would be taught of God. Humility is here as elsewhere put as a foundation virtue. The Latin word for humility is humus, ground. This implies that it is the soil out of which other virtues are produced. Those who think they know everything can learn nothing. As Chalmers has said, “The more a man does examine, the more does he discover the infirmities of his own character.” As Wheatley remarked, “Ten thousand of the greatest faults in our neighbors are of less consequence to us than one of the smallest in ourselves.” A knowledge of our sins and imperfections should make and keep all humanity humble; but how beautiful it is to realize that the perfect Jesus was humble and that all the holy angels are so!

R5029 (1912)