Testing

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Galatians 6:4-7



I spoke to two different friends about this verse yesterday without even realizing that this was what I was talking about. We were talking about a common acquaintance I’ll call Nancy, and how obtuse she can be about her own behavior. Before you judge me for judging her, let me say, she is what I would consider an acquaintance but I treat her as a dear friend for many and various reasons. This is not a person I hold in any kind of contempt. I love her, exactly the way Jesus advises us to love. I get a lot wrong but with her I believe I get it pretty close to right. Back to the story…. This woman was extolling the oddities of a person we often observe, none of us knows her at all we are just in position to see her actions. So there was Nancy going on and on about how bizarre this woman’s behavior seems to her. Everything in me wanted to scream, “you act just like that!” But I didn’t. It is not my place to point fingers. It is my place to look inward which is why I was talking about it with my friends.

Nancy is totally oblivious to her own oddities. We are not talking sin here, it really is just idiosyncrasy. Listening to her, even at one point teasing her a bit that she might have a touch of the same behavior, which she denied, I couldn’t help but wonder how she missed that tendency in her own life. Walking away from the conversation I began the mental check list, first with the behavior that was discussed and truly I am not like that. The thing that is so important to Nancy and the oddball is not at all important to me. But something is…. Somewhere in my life there is something I do, repeatedly and then complain when I see someone else do it. I’m sure there is. If there weren’t it wouldn’t bother me to see and hear Nancy or anyone else berate someone for doing exactly what they themselves do.

As I write this I am still searching for the answer. I guess it falls under the heading of what your good friends won’t tell you because the two friends I confided in shed no light. Although we did all agree that the problem might be that we all share the same oddity and therefore see it as normal.

This issue is tiny, it’s weird but tiny. No one is getting hurt and no sin is involved although taken to extreme it could turn into sin. Sin is insidious and most of us are very clear eyed when it comes to other people. We can see their sin but our own, hm, well, we have good reasons for why we do the things we do, sin or otherwise. Paul says, “Each one should test his own actions.” It’s great advice and I want to follow it. I will fail sometimes and pass others but the important thing is to keep looking and not suppose that I am fine while the rest of you…….

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