Sawdust vs. Planks

This is one set of verses where I like the words used by the New International Version, feel like it clears up the contrast when we judge people:

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (Matt 7:3-5)

Often I think we think that our own sins/mistakes/imperfections are smaller than others' issues, but we often don't know the whole story.  There are many people I've met in my life who appear to be misguided, silly, annoying, rude, or downright mean.  But when I get to know them further, I've found that their circumstances are vastly different than what they appear, and I've misjudged them because I didn't truly know them.  Take time to be humble and realize that you may not have the whole story when you take a first look at someone.