Pass the Mustard - by Melissa Levrets
An enlightening moment happened to me a couple weeks ago. The Beard left the mustard out. That’s right. You heard me. He just walked away and sat down to eat a sandwich, clearly forgetting something. I was irritated. I worked on a snarky comment while I went the 3 feet to the fridge with said condiment in hand. As I turned around to make my grumpy comment to the husband, I was stopped in my tracks by what I saw on the counter. Stuff! Dishes, cereal, homework, mail, spices. The counter was covered. Gasp! The horror of it all! Then the blinders fell off my eyes. I was so irked that The Beard left 1 thing out when there lay at least 20 items I was directly responsible for. That got me thinking. How often am I so fast to see someone else’s mustard and miss all my dirty dishes and junk? Often people, often.
There is this verse that gives me major mind bending images. Maybe since I first heard it as a kid, but it is pretty intense.
Matthew 7:3 (NIV) says, “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?”
A freaking plank of wood in your eye! Yowza! How do you not see it? How did I not see it? Because we are so gosh darn set upon finding fault with those around us. It sure is easier that way, isn’t it? Focusing on others shortcomings saves me from having to change. I love the way The Message version of the Bible words Jesus’ message to us in Matthew 7.
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults -unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbors face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.”
Do you feel like you were just sent behind the woodshed to get spanked? I sure do. Dang Jesus. Seriously. Painful.
And, as per the usual, the Son of God has it right. Perhaps an honest, inward look at what logs, planks, and ugly sneers we are harboring is in order. Go read Matthew 7 again. If you don’t feel the sharp smack, maybe it’s because that plank meant to discipline you is still stuck in your eye. How different would our marriages, families, friendships, and community look if we fixed ourselves first? Different. Kind. Loving. Understanding. A soft place for people to land. Certainly how I want my life to be. What would our lives look like if that wood was removed? Perhaps we would find the grace to pass the mustard instead of flinging it.