While You’re In There

While You’re in There

Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? . . . First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Matthew 7:3, 5

While traveling together to see an old friend in a distant city, Ethel and Louise, two elderly sisters, decided to stop at a shopping mall for a break from the drive. After window shopping for a while and having lunch in the food court, they made a few purchases. Then they left the mall and started on down the road to their destination.

When checking out at the last shop, Louise had inadvertently left her wallet on the counter, but she did not miss it until they had been driving for quite some time. When she discovered she had left the wallet behind, she called the shop on her cell phone to inquire if they had found it. The clerk said they had it and would keep it for her until she could return for it.

Ethel, who was driving, was frustrated by having to go all the way back to the mall to get the wallet. Even worse, they had to drive several more miles along the freeway before finding a turnaround.

On the way back to the mall, Ethel griped and complained about her sister being so absentminded. She criticized and scolded Louise during the entire return drive. The more she chided Louise, the more agitated she became. Ethel just would not stop for a moment.

To Louise’s great relief, they finally arrived at the mall. Ethel was going to wait in the car while Louise went in to get her wallet. Then, just as Louise got out of the car to hurry inside, Ethel called after her, “Well, while you’re in there, get my sunglasses and checkbook!”

Father, please forgive me for being critical of other people. Help me, instead, to look into the mirror of your Word and work on myself. Amen.