Babushkas and Jesus

Yesterday, there was a brief “discussion” at my kitchen table that left me a bit shaken and chagrined. I was remarking about some of the grandmas (babushkas) who I see at the deli counter in the supermarkets (yes we have supermarkets in Ukraine). They always seem to take forever when they get to the counter. They ask questions like, “How fresh is it?” or “Is it today’s sausage?” or other questions I don’t comprehend. The girls behind the counters roll their eyes and often say “I don’t know” or something to that effect. I cannot always understand their words, but their faces and body language tell it all.

Those of us standing in line shift from foot to foot peering over each others' shoulders trying to see what is going on and wondering what the hold up is. We all just wish that they would either leave or make up their mind and get out of line so that we can get on with our shopping, as we know what we want. To me, they seem rude and inconsiderate of the rest of us standing in line. But in sharing this with my family I got a reaction I wasn’t looking for.

I was expecting “Yes, isn’t it a bother” or something like that, but instead my wife said with some sadness in her voice and a bit or rejoinder, “Maybe they are just lonely and want to talk so someone!”

My immediate reaction was one of feeling criticized, and I said as much and feeling oh so vindicated in doing so. My wife quickly left the table without another word, leaving her lunch unfinished. After I had some time to think about it and with some prompting of the Holy Spirit in the person of Miss Emily Marie Mark, I was convinced of the truth of my wife’s words. I was left feeling small and embarrassed. I, the man of God who proclaims Jesus at every opportunity and thinks himself the great teacher of the Word of God, was caught in my own sin and pride. My wife had clearly taken the way of Christ, while I had been playing the part of the indigent and self-righteous Pharisee.

How easy it is to become puffed up in our knowledge and find reasons to criticize others, without having all the facts. Proverbs says, “One witness seems right until another comes along” and “There is a way that seems right to a man but the end of it is death."

There are rude and selfish people in the world, but my job is not to convict them of their sin or point out how righteous I am compared to them. My job isn’t to judge others but rather to love even my enemies and to pray for those who treat me despitefully.

So maybe I will take my wife’s suggestion and think better of them (the babushkas), pray for them, smile at them and, God willing and the opportunity presents itself, talk with them.

Matthew 7:1-5NIV
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

In Christ,
Alan

Opening Thoughts

One of my other blogs in Preacher Al's blog made me stop and think. The pastor that I had the greatest respect for was one whose preaching style was transparent. He wasn't the guy who had it all together. He had problems. He wasn't the perfect father or husband. But he loved God and as God revealed things to him he shared them in some of his sermons. He often had illustrations from his personal life of how God was dealing with him, or how he had failed to uphold a godly principle and then was working to set it right.

So anyway the Scripture passage of Matthew 7:1-5, was very key to my early Christian development.  As of late, they are coming back to me as God the Holy Spirit deals with things in my life. I am often prone to finding fault with my brothers and sisters in Christ who aren't quite perfect enough to suit me. So for all of you who have had to read my rants and feel picked on, this one is for you. I hope to be a real as I can about what God is teaching me about how I can better shine is light and love.

Tony, this one's for You!