They say perspective is everything. How you view yourself versus how you view the rest of the world speaks volumes about your ego. If you think the world revolves around you, then everything that happens is about you. If you tend to entertain critical thoughts on everyone else but gloss over your own shortcomings, chances are you’re struggling with an inflated self-worth. The result is a stubborn person unwilling to change or repent.
Nathan brought to King David’s attention a rich man with a flock of sheep who confiscated a poor man’s only ewe lamb. The reader in the narrative picks up early on that the story is a parable of David’s sin with Bathsheba as the symbolism and connection to David’s life is too blatant to miss. But David can’t see past his own flaws and sins. Like tunnel vision, he can only see the story before him and exercises (self-)righteous judgment on the rich man. Nathan’s bold statement crashes David’s world; “You da man!”
The challenge for introspective thinking is real and painstakingly difficult to master. We struggle with self-awareness and fail to understand how our actions (negatively) affect the people around us. Yet we’re all too aware of how other people’s actions destroy community and relationships. It’s never my fault; it’s always their fault.
So Jesus talks about the plank and the speck (Mt. 7:3-5). He warns us that when we’re so consumed with the speck in everyone else’s eyes, we fail to grasp the 2×4 consuming our own lives. In a context talking about judgmental attitudes, Jesus tells us to use our judgmental skills on ourselves before turning it on others. Figure out where your own flaw, weakness, sin and annoying habit is before picking out someone else’s. Such a move takes mature introspective abilities. While everyone is capable of such reflection, not everyone chooses the difficult task of removing such a large piece of lumber from the eye.
James uses a different image to drive home his point. He wants us to take a good look in the mirror (Jam. 1:23-25). We brush our hair or wash our face, the mirror reveals what we really look like. Logic says that when we see something wrong in the reflection we’ll change the reality. Examining God’s Word is supposed to have the same effect. We open its pages to cast light on our dark soul. When we see our own flaws, we fix them. We change. We repent. Unfortunately too many of us read our Bibles to confirm, not only what we believe, but also to ignore the sin that needs purging from our lives. At best we’re blinded by our own sin. At worst we’re carry around a judgmental and condemning attitude.
So below are a list of sins we battle on a regular basis. I’ve attributed a name next to them, not only for some humor, but also as a means to appeal to our critical nature. Since we can see the sin so clearly in others, maybe we’ll see the sin in our own lives.
Addict Anna ● A-moral Amy ● Angry Andrew ● Apathetic Anthony ● Backstabbing Beth ● Bitter Barry ● Critical Carl ● Complaining Cary ● Condemning Chloe ● Controlling Connie ● Disrespectful Danny ● Doubting Debbie ● Gossiping Gary ● Guilt-Ridden Gloria ● Hateful Harry ● Idolatrous Ida ● Immoral Irene ● Legalistic Lucy ● Lusting Lawrence ● Lying Larry ● Prideful Peter ● Racist Richie ● Selfish Samantha ● Self-Righteous Steve ● Tolerant Terry ● Unforgiving Ursula.
In 2003 Jack Nicholson starred opposite of Diane Keaton in the romantic comedy movie Something’s Gotta Give. Nicholson’s character, Harry Sanborn, had spent his entire life chasing younger women and living the “high life” when by circumstances he’s forced to recover at Erica Barry’s home played by Keaton. While I cannot remember the details of the movie, the two characters not only clash with conflicts but end up falling for each other. However, he has some serious character flaws that prevent him from pursuing a long term relationship. Once recovered, Sanborn leaves Barry. Months later, he returns. He tells her that he spent the last months sitting with friends to give an honest evaluation of his character. He confessed it hurt, like opening old wounds. But he also realized how healthy it was to see how others saw him, and how healthy it was to fix those relationships. He was now ready to move forward with a long-term relationship with Barry.
You don’t always have to go back to all the people you’ve known, but it might help. You could take a long look in the mirror and change what is glaring right at you. Or you could ignore the speck in other’s eyes by working on the plank in your own eye. Or through repentance you could “Just be da man!”
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)