Today I got to see the plank in my eye and it wasn't fun. I started out happily enough, planning a few errands in my head. My first errand was to go to the Going Out Of Business Linen N Things and exchange a tablecloth. I didn't have my receipt, but the cloth I needed was the same price, so I went anyway, filled with foolish optimism. Of course, they denied me anything without my receipt, so I left the store grumbling under my breath and drove home again, determined to find the receipt, which was at the bottom of my trash can, naturally. Armed with the receipt, I drove back, still grumbling things and with a decidedly frowning face. When I arrived, the cashier was dealing with an irritated woman wanting to exchange some broken dishes. I waved my receipt at the cashier who told me to wait for the manager.
When the manager arrived, she had to deal with the other woman first. She did not have a receipt. She did not get her way. So she threw a fit, telling the manager to "have a nice day ripping customers off," and stormed out. When the manager said, "Have a nice day" to her back, she threw the F-bomb at her. Wow. I meekly walked up, pointed out my receipt, the identical prices, and walked out with the correct tablecloth.
And then the plank in my own eye started jostling around, causing many painful splinters. It was like someone had hooked an amplifier up to my inner thoughts and broadcast them to the whole store, via the first customer. Oh yeah, sure, I didn't say those words to her face, but I thought them. Jesus never made a distinction between what goes on in your head and what comes out of your mouth. Seeing that woman curse those store employees was seeing the true impact of my secret thoughts. Even if they stay secret, they are utterly destructive.
Isn't that the point of Jesus' plank and speck of dust story? We don't try to pull out the plank in order to point out the speck of dust. Instead, the speck of dust illuminates the plank in our own eye. Every time.
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2 comments:
I think that there is a world of difference between thoughts and actions. It is good to be humble and not think of yourself as better than others. You also want to be mindful of destructive thoughts so that you can root them out with cognitive challenges. However, the person who acts out such thoughts is being much more destructive to those around her. Although you had similar thoughts, your actual interactions were likely a balm to the fractured employees at the store.
Sin can be broadly defined as that which damages relationships. Thinking angry thoughts damages yourself and narrows your ability to commune with God. Yelling damages relationships with others. It spreads the negativity, resulting in more negative thoughts AND actions by more and more people.
Yes, there is a difference between words and actions.
However, what that angry woman and I both shared were the destructive thoughts. And the thoughts are the root of the evil. Sure, her plant got bigger and more visible than mine, but it was the same plant. Self-control limits and mitigates the damage, but the thoughts are, as you point out, still damaging.
Don't worry, I'm not beating myself up - confessed and forgiven!
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