“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5
John Wesley was born in 1703, the 15th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley! (Susanna herself was the youngest of 25 children!!) John grew up under strict discipline and was thoroughly educated. He went to Oxford University, and there led a club which was known derisively as “Holy Club”. The group met daily from six until nine for prayer, psalms, and reading of the Greek New Testament. They prayed every waking hour for several minutes and each day for a special virtue. But in spite of John’s best intentions for holiness, he recognized his heart’s propensity toward hypocrisy. So he wrote the following test for himself. And the test is yet good for those of us who find that what we portray to others, is not always the inner reality of our hearts.
“Do I laugh at the mistakes of others, revelling in their errors and misfortunes?
Do I insist on having my own way?
Is there a tendency for me to put others down so that I’ll be thought of more highly?
Do I pass on to others what is told to me in confidence?
Am I thoughtful in expressing “thanks” to people for what they’ve done for me, no matter how insignificant it seems?
Am I a slave to dress, a slave to friends and their opinions, a slave to work & habits?
Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
Did the Bible live in me yesterday?
Did I disobey God in anything yesterday?
Did I insist on doing something about which my conscious was uneasy?
Did I handle discouragement well or did I have to be coddled?
Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I’m a better person than I really am?
Am I enjoying prayer?
When did I last speak to someone about Christ?
Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize or hold resentment toward? If so, what am I doing about it?
Is Christ real to me?”
