Being Hypocritical?

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is within thy brother's eye, but considereth not the beam that is within thine own eye? . . . Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to east out the mote out of thy brother's eye" Matthew 7:3-5

I've often wonder, about this scripture. If I love someone, and I see them doing something that won't lead to happiness, I feel like I should help them. But I don't want to be that person with a beam in their eye... so how is it that we avoid that.

In the 1960 October General Conference, Henry D. Taylor said "Many years ago my mission president gave this sound advice: "If criticism is just and given kindly, accept it and give thanks for it. If it is just and given unkindly, accept it. But if it is unjust and given unkindly, pay no heed to it." 

Although this refers to accepting criticism, it can equally be applied to giving criticism. We need to make sure that the criticism, or help that we give is just. And we should ever endeavor to do it in a kind way. 

In order to be just, I think it is important that we do not set ourselves up as the example of proper living, but rather understand that in God's eyes, we are probably little better than the rest. But if through the spirit we feel prompted to reach out to someone, we should do it, remembering always who it is that really will pull the mote out of their eyes.