Discipleship

Jesus said in Luke 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect (perfectly trained) shall be as his master (be like his teacher). Jesus was reminding His followers that, when they went out to disciple others, they could not expect their disciples to progress further in the spiritual life than they themselves had attained. In other words, the extent of our positive influence on others is limited by what we ourselves are. O. L. Clark said: "You cannot teach what you do not know; You cannot lead where you do not go."
Jesus reinforced this lesson with a parable. "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest 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."
Jesus never said we could not get the "mote" out of someones eye! He just said that we had better have our own eyes clean and clear so that we may be able see clearly when we remove the "mote" that's in my brother's eye.
We may be eloquent, clever, and fast-talking, but if there are blind spots in my life, area of neglect and disobedience, then my discipling of others is a case of the blind leading the blind.
I must remember, "the extent of my positive influence on others is limited by what I am. I cannot teach what I do not know. I cannot lead where I do not go."