(And A Thumb)
a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy
presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psalm 51:10,11
About two weeks later, visitors in our home showed us the video of the event. It was very nice, except for one problem: some lady kept getting in the way of the camera, and the operator had to continually try to maneuver past her. I commented, "Who's the wide-track in the way?" Nobody answered. Just a moment later, the "wide-track" turned and I saw to my horror it was me! (No wonder they didn't answer--they understood the concept of self-preservation, eh? *Smiling*)
The truth of the matter is, as I had studied my reflected image, I "saw what I wanted to see". However, the camera is unbiased--it records the reality of it all. And the reality of it all was, I had deceived myself into thinking that I could lighten up on the self-discipline. But even more importantly is what happened next: the very next thought I had was, "Pat, you were all prepared to criticize someone else. By what right, either physically or spiritually? Look at the reality of it, and tell me, by what right?"
I admit it, I forget sometimes how others perceive what I say or how I act. And while it honestly is not in my heart to be hurtful toward others, they could easily misinterpret my meaning or intent and be turned away from my witness of the Lord Jesus Christ because I was thoughtless. I'm not out to try to please everyone, it cannot be done. However, I must ask myself: do I take the time to stop and consider my words and my actions? I certainly need to.
As I sat there and watched that video, I was convicted in my heart about my attitude: you see, so long as I thought it was "somebody else", I was judgmental. Yet when I found out it was me, was I willing to turn that same judgment toward myself? Was I willing to admit the truth of the matter, or was I going to accept my justification of my reflection in the mirror: "Oh, it's not so bad"?
When we point our finger at those who have "fallen short", we forget that we have three fingers and a thumb pointing right back at ourselves. Romans 3:23 tells us, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. "All" is totally encompassing--it includes me. It does NOT say, "For all but Pat have sinned..." Even when I point both the forefinger and the thumb toward someone else, there are still THREE fingers pointed right back at myself.
Whether I like it or not, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12. And in thinking about pointing out someone else's flaws, I had better remember YE OLDE "Motes and Beams":
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5.
When we notice that our throats are sore, an infection is setting up in our sinuses, or the twinges of a oncoming headache, what do we do? Why we head right for the Vitamin C, chicken soup, throat lozenges, antibiotics, right? We make the declaration: "I had to clear my throat three times today; I must be getting sick." Yet, by the same token, we totally ignore the symptoms of our spiritual sickness: a judgmental mind, a hardened heart or a wrong spirit within ourselves.
My friends, we need to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit--if we will allow Him, He will lead us. And that leading includes conviction when we have done wrong. However, if we are strong-willed and stubborn, we will reject those "checks" and will continue to point a finger of judgment and turn a critical eye at others (never at ourselves), our heart will continue to harden, and a wrong spirit will quickly, I said, QUICKLY and I mean it, develop within us.
The remedy? We must repent before our carnal nature persuades us to justify that which we have done wrong:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. CAST ME NOT AWAY FROM THY PRESENCE; AND TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:7-12.
We can clean up the outside, dress it in the fanciest, costliest, most beautiful garments there are, but it won't change our inner self: our heart and our thoughts. And that which is in our heart and our thoughts will, I said, WILL come out. Yes, it will--it will show in our words and our actions. Then we are nothing but whited sepulchres: all painted up on the outside and dead on the inside. We are exactly how Jesus charged the scribes and Pharisees:
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel... (That's exactly like the "mote and beam" thing again: we don't see the beam of light in our own face, yet we are VERY quick to point out the tiniest of tiny little particles in another's eye!)
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse FIRST that which is WITHIN the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:24-28.
May I take a moment here and say just one word? OUCH!
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Hebrews 12:5-7. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Proverbs 3:11-12. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Job 5:17.
You see, I've "been there, done that": for years, I was out of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and I never want to be there again. I don't want my heart to wax cold, my thoughts to grow bitter and mean, my actions to be selfish and self-centered. I must have a "right spirit within me", or my witness of the Lord Jesus Christ is of NO effect. I am happy I was convicted in my spirit of such an attitude--immediate changes in my course had to be made.
If we do what we SHOULD do, we will uncurl those fingers and open our hand to reach out in assistance and guidance. We will open our mouth in prayer and praise to the Lord and encouragment to others and keep it shut from comments. I tell you, my friend, I learned a huge lesson when I viewed that video of myself: the "outer me" may have been chronic, but the "inner me" was acute and critical !
It is all too easy to fall into the habit of pointing out the faults and failures of others, while ignoring our own! However, if we will remember those three fingers and a thumb that aim in our direction, we will be much quicker to correct ourselves and much slower to condemn others.
"Three Fingers And A Thumb" Copyright © 2000 by Patricia Sikes.
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