A family friend once told this story about my father. He was teaching a lesson in Sunday School and part of it concerned the subject of swearing. “And another thing people do is use those dang fake swear words,” Dad observed. “You may think that's not swearing, but we know dadgummed well what you mean.”
I remember a film they showed in driver's education class. I believe it starred Goofy. As a pedestrian he was very law abiding, crossing in the crosswalks, shaking his fist a couple of times at cars that were going too fast or failing to yield to pedestrians. Then he got behind the wheel of a car and became the exact kind of motorist he had been frustrated with as a pedestrian. It was meant to teach us a lesson about safe driving, but to me it contained an important life lesson.
We are much more able to see the shortcomings of others
than we are to see our own failings.
Most people see both sides of an argument—their own side and the side that is wrong. I've heard it said that the only ones who truly listen to both sides of an argument are the neighbors. We turn the magnifying glass on the faults of others and yet fail to see our own shortcomings, couching them in the kindest of terms.
He is “judgmental” but I am “insightful.”
She is “lazy” but I have “chosen the better part.”
He is “unyielding” but I am “faithful.”
He is a “workaholic” but I am “diligent.”
She is “domineering” but I am a “natural-born leader.”
Perfecting the Saints
“Perfecting the saints” is one of the missions of the church. What we need to realize is that the saint we are supposed to be most actively perfecting is the one inside our own skin. I recently picked up a great little book by Robert Eaton called “Extremes.” It is the kind of book that should be read with highlighter in hand and then kept next to the bed for easy reference. As I read the book, though, I couldn't help but keep thinking of all the people I wanted to give a copy of it to so that they could see themselves. In my defense, that was because many of my shortcomings were jumping off the page at me that I thought it might be helpful to others who might also see themselves.
“How to keep your virtues from becoming vices” it says on the cover. One of the ways we do that is by acknowledging our own faults instead of explaining them away. Almost all of us have a few blindspots regarding our own behaviors. This book does a wonderful job of holding up the mirror. Each chapter contains two extremes and is written in such a way as to show you where you are on the continuum. I highly recommend it to all you sinners out there.
We have just had the opportunity to listen to the counsel of the leaders of our church. I, for one, have targeted a few areas in which I need to improve. How about you?
