Charitable Judgments and Embarrassment Countdown (4)
Matthew 7:1-5 comes to mind as I think about the final embarrassing moment I'm going to share in this series. Be careful how you judge others. Notice that Jesus does not prohibit all judging in the text. He just forbids wrong judging; judging that overlooks sins (and what may well be worse sins) in self, while glaring at the perceived sins in others. Romans 2:1, 2 issues a similar warning.
I have had a history of self-righteous anger toward those whose cell phones go off at inappropriate times--like when I'm preaching for example. How inconsiderate can people be! Mind-boggling thoughtlessness!
But let me tell you a story. The occasion was the memorial service for my dear father. What can I say about my dad? A soldier who loved his country. A first generation Christian who became a faithful husband for 55+ years until death took him home. At enormous sacrifice dad served in missionary and pastoral work for 55+ years, until strength could carry him no longer. He raised six children, had 32 grandchildren, and touched the lives of many hundreds and thousands through his life, and ministry, and family.
And dad and mom asked me to lead the memorial service for this great and beloved man. What an honor! What a joy! What a sacred and holy privilege!
There was one point during the service that was particularly moving. One of my nephews, dressed in his Marine finest and with taps playing, solemnly marched up the aisle with a folded flag in arm, saluted in my dad's honor, laid the flag beside my dad's picture, and then turned to salute my mom in honor for both of his grandparents. No dry eyes. Mine fill up even as I type.
But right in the middle of it, an unexpected sound suddenly blared; a cell phone. And what do you think my dismay when I realized that it was mine, in my pocket, with me standing up on the platform, leading my father's memorial service?
Of all the thoughtless, stupid, careless, insensitive things one can do with a cell phone--I'd done it! My own dad's funeral, with me leading a most sacred and solemn event, and I forget to turn off my cell phone. I was mortified.
Later as I recovered from my embarrassment and reflected on the moment, I thought of something. I remembered how many times I'd judged others for their cell-phone insensitiviy, and I realized that I had just been guilty of the worst form of it.
I realized then that my judgment of others was really nothing more than self-righteousness ("I would never be so careless"), arrogance ("I'm smart enough to always remember to turn off my cell phone."), and a lack of grace and love ("That person's cell phone blunder makes me mad!").
From then on, whenever a cell phone goes off at unfortuante moments, I remember my blunder, and I try to move immediately into grace mode. It helps in forming charitable judgments toward others to keep in mind that each of us either has done or would have done (were it not for God's restraining grace)every sin imaginable that others might be committing.
Something to think about and then factor in the next time your judgment juices begin to flow.
I have had a history of self-righteous anger toward those whose cell phones go off at inappropriate times--like when I'm preaching for example. How inconsiderate can people be! Mind-boggling thoughtlessness!
But let me tell you a story. The occasion was the memorial service for my dear father. What can I say about my dad? A soldier who loved his country. A first generation Christian who became a faithful husband for 55+ years until death took him home. At enormous sacrifice dad served in missionary and pastoral work for 55+ years, until strength could carry him no longer. He raised six children, had 32 grandchildren, and touched the lives of many hundreds and thousands through his life, and ministry, and family.
And dad and mom asked me to lead the memorial service for this great and beloved man. What an honor! What a joy! What a sacred and holy privilege!
There was one point during the service that was particularly moving. One of my nephews, dressed in his Marine finest and with taps playing, solemnly marched up the aisle with a folded flag in arm, saluted in my dad's honor, laid the flag beside my dad's picture, and then turned to salute my mom in honor for both of his grandparents. No dry eyes. Mine fill up even as I type.
But right in the middle of it, an unexpected sound suddenly blared; a cell phone. And what do you think my dismay when I realized that it was mine, in my pocket, with me standing up on the platform, leading my father's memorial service?
Of all the thoughtless, stupid, careless, insensitive things one can do with a cell phone--I'd done it! My own dad's funeral, with me leading a most sacred and solemn event, and I forget to turn off my cell phone. I was mortified.
Later as I recovered from my embarrassment and reflected on the moment, I thought of something. I remembered how many times I'd judged others for their cell-phone insensitiviy, and I realized that I had just been guilty of the worst form of it.
I realized then that my judgment of others was really nothing more than self-righteousness ("I would never be so careless"), arrogance ("I'm smart enough to always remember to turn off my cell phone."), and a lack of grace and love ("That person's cell phone blunder makes me mad!").
From then on, whenever a cell phone goes off at unfortuante moments, I remember my blunder, and I try to move immediately into grace mode. It helps in forming charitable judgments toward others to keep in mind that each of us either has done or would have done (were it not for God's restraining grace)every sin imaginable that others might be committing.
Something to think about and then factor in the next time your judgment juices begin to flow.
posted by Tim Shorey at
9:15 AM
1 Comments:
I wonder if I will EVER learn the lesson of not judging. Many, many times I have judged someone, and then been grieved over my words/thoughts later by some further information or insight-- Or, as you have illustrated, by the sudden realization that I am pronouncing judgment on myself even as I am directing it at another! I have literally been stopped dead in my words (or thoughts) by such a realization. God is so patient with my foolishness!
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