Two Beams and The Difference They Make

This was no ordinary piece of wood.
It was rough-hewn and splinters
stuck out here and there.
Sturdy enough to do
what it was meant to do
and meant for one thing
on this history-shattering day.
This was a day
when the earth shook,
darkness befell
when pure daylight should have stayed.
This was the day spoken of
by many of Gods prophets
for centuries.

This beam held the Son of God
and from it He willingly hung.
His arms outstretched
and fastened by nails.
His feet were nailed there too.

He stayed on that beam
and took no note of the shame
and derision while He hung
with barely much to cloth Him.

He did it out of the deepest love
and to pay the penalty of sin
for all time - past, present
and future.
He did it so each one of us
could become
the righteousness of God
and have eternal life.

But there is another beam.
And this beam causes men
to see all the sins
of everyone around them.
It is in their eyes.
This beam see's specks
and stains and things wrong
with others.
It causes the one who has it
to point it out
and bring it up
and let others know
what they think.

When they come around
there is nothing right
you can say or do.
They want you to feel guilty
and shamed
and reminded of your sin.
They offer no remedy
and never do they remind you
of the beam Jesus hung on
to take away the sins
of the world.

Oh the difference between
the righteous One
who hung on a beam
and the self-righteous
who walk about with one
in their eyes.

Dear child of God,
remember the precious Son
who died for you
and His righteousness is yours.
He knows you inside and out
and He called you to Himself
and chose you
and He began a good work in you
and will complete the work
He began.

Listen to Him.
Do not listen to anyone
who hasn't died on a beam
but proudly wears one
in their eye.