Mirror, Mirror

“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.” Matthew 7:3-5

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most faithful one of all? Would you ever look in a mirror and ask that question? I would not. For two reasons, one I hate mirrors and two, I’m not sure I would like the answer.

Lately I have caught myself questioning the veracity or sincerity of several of the people around me. Granted the lips say something very different than the actions, so I have tried to excuse my judgment as looking for the fruit. (Matthew 7:16) That didn’t go over too well. It felt a lot more like judgment in discernment’s clothing. The truth is the people to whom I’m referring are believing Christians. I know this because at different times I have seen their fruit. Okay, bear with me here, you are probably way ahead of me on this but after a week or so and a few different people, I got it. This is not about someone else. This is about me.

My face is the one that needs to be in front of the mirror, asking the question, hearing the answer and then adjusting my actions accordingly. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the one with faith so tall? Not you, Tricia!

My own faith has been lagging lately. Misery loves company and so I wanted to see that same lack everywhere I looked. Guess what? I could. Well, almost. I do have a few people in my circle who can stand in that mirror with total confidence. These are ladies who have been in the fiery furnace and seen the shiny guy in there with them. They are not people who have great faith because they live on CalmCoolAndEasy Street. I admire them. I see them as role models and honestly, I hope never to face the demons they’ve stared down. But, back to my lesson.

It took me awhile to get here but, I am at the point now, where if such a mirror existed, one that could show me my faults and the places where I need work, I would actually seek it out. Living in the land of lagging faith is no fun. Neither is walking around blinded by the plank in my eye slamming into people whose specks I feel compelled to remove.

It is no coincidence that the verses that teach us about answered prayer and seeking God (Matthew 7:7-12) come shortly after the speck and plank verse. My prayers, my seeking and knowing God, depend on what is in my eye, not what is in yours.

I hate mirrors. I am not a person who seeks out any reflective surface I can find. I am a person who avoids them. However, if I can find one that will show me how to better serve my Father I’ll stand in front of it all day, or at least until I understand what he wants me to do. And one more thing, even though you don’t know who you are, if you think I might have been judging you, please accept my apologies. I’ll see you much more clearly once my plank is removed.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Not Really god, where are you?

My Offering

Selective Sight