The Giant Rip!

Early yesterday evening, I was busily making supper for our family. It had been an awfully hectic day--a meeting first thing in the morning, followed by rushing around for a few quick errands, followed by an out of town lunch and another meeting. Then it was time to zip back to Raleigh for several rounds of after-school and pre-activity pick-ups and drop-offs of children, then to my two favorite stores in the universe (based upon frequency and money spent): Target and Harris Teeter. And, boy, those trips were just in the nick of time, as we were totally out of some VITAL items--notably toilet paper, deodorant, and Apple Jacks (possible starvation was looming for my 15 year old).

At any rate, sorry to bore you to death with all the dull details, but my point is I had been all over the place yesterday--a stay at home mom who was not at home the entire day. Back to cooking dinner: as I was getting things ready, for some reason I reached into the back pocket of my jeans and, whoa, what was that I felt? A HUGE rip. We're not talking a little slit here; we're talking a Goliath-sized tear all across the back of my leg. I mean it was "ginormous," and incredibly, somehow, I had never felt it one bit! What on earth? How could I not be aware of a gash all the way across the back of my pants? How out of it am I?

Moreover, how many people had I seen yesterday that surely thought, "what is her deal? Isn't she a bit long in the tooth to be sporting such a risqué look?" O brother. No wonder the folks at Harris Teeter were smiling at me--those weren't smiles; those were snickers. Even my own family had not said one word to me about my gigantic fashion gash. What is that--mercy or meanness? In the words of Charlie Brown, whom I felt like I was channeling: Good Grief!

But as I thought about it later, I couldn't help but contemplate, how often do I go around like that, clueless to my selfishness, my thoughtlessness of others, my pride? So busy with my own agenda that I'm completely insensitive to the needs of those around me? So aware of and focused upon others' shortcomings, that I am utterly blinded to my own?

Jesus expressed it clearly and colorfully: "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck that is in your brother's eye." Luke 6:41-42 Ouch. I think there are a lot of us who can quickly and enthusiastically identify those specks located elsewhere while conveniently ignoring the logs residing right within ourselves! Sometimes we miss our logs due to busyness or preoccupation, but sometimes we have to blame it on plain on sin: pride, jealousy, selfishness, hypocrisy.

I unknowingly sported a ripped pair of pants yesterday out of sheer preoccupied busyness, but I cringe to consider how often I am missing those "logs" in my life that hurt others, diminish my witness, or somehow bring dishonor to the name of Christ. May it never be! Help us Lord to see the logs in our own lives and then come quickly to You in repentance. Might we keep short accounts of our own sin... but long patience and grace with the failings of others. After all, aren't you thankful for Jesus' amazing grace in your own life? Surely we who have been forgiven so infinitely much can and must thereby extend such compassion and grace to those around us. Get rid of your logs and trust the Savior with the specks of others. To the God of all grace and mercy and truth be the glory.