I know there are lots of things blind people do very well, but I don’t want someone who is blind driving my car or giving me directions.  That would be a dangerous and futile situation.  The blind leading the blind are not going to get there. Of course, the blindness Jesus is talking about is figurative rather than literal, but that sharpens rather than blunts what he is saying, as the blind he is referring to are “in denial” and don’t realize their blindness.

The worst kind of blindness, which is almost incurable, is the judgmental spirit.  Moreover, judgmental people tend to mix only with their own kind, reinforcing each other’s prejudices, hence Jesus’ warning in the gospel that both will end up in the pit.  Jesus was particularly scathing about judgmental spirit because it elevates admittedly good concepts like rules, principles, standards – even religion—above the actual plight of human beings. Those in the biggest danger of the trip to the pit are those people who are constantly trying to fix others’ faults, trying to remedy others’ blindness, when they themselves cannot see clearly. Trying to take a speck from someone else’s eye is not appropriate or feasible until the log is removed from one’s own eye. People shouldn’t be criticizing others for faults they have themselves.

The disciple is not greater than the teacher, but with a good teacher, a student can be just as good. But a bad teacher will not be a good role model or encourage a good student. How can a student succeed with a bad model? The good tree bears good fruit. The rotten tree does not. The fruit of the tree shows what care it has had.

Let our prayer be that our own blindness be cured. Then, God might be able to use us to help others.