Let Me Get That Speck for You

My dad came to my work yesterday to share some wonderful vegetables of his.  I ventured to the vehicle with him to move them over to mine.  We began talking and laughing and sharing moments of our day/week.  I walked away excited about our conversation.

You see, dad and I have experienced difficult times in our past relationship.  He recently moved closer to us.  He and I have come together and work at seeing each other through God's eyes.  Before, we had a hard time extending any grace towards one another because lots of anger existed.  Both of us made wrong decisions and grew further apart with each one.  Now, we have numerous conversations such as the one described in the previous paragraph.  I feel such a peace between us and grateful that God healed that hurt.

"Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin." (Deuteronomy 24:16)

"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." (Matthew 7:4-5)

To me, the relationship was not what I expected from a dad.  I continued to see all the wrong, none of the right.  Placing blame on another allowed me to justify the negative actions I continued to perform.  All my sins were because of the atmosphere around me, right?  WRONG.  We each are responsible for our own sins.  Yes, life around me appeared tough.  Yes, chaos consumed my days.  But, I chose to escape through sinning.  My dad did not place the treadmill in front of, the bottle in my hand, the poisons to my mouth or tell me not to eat.  These choices were all MINE. 

Until this summer I placed blame in the wrong place.  I could not own up to my sins.  I kept picking out the sawdust in other's eyes and ignored my plank.  While recalling my past, I could see God's hand remained open to me the whole time.  He stood right there.  I chose not to take His hand.  I darted the other way, the easy way.  I escaped and numbed out.  The realization of denying my Creator sank in and I fell at His feet.  Confessing to God and asking forgiveness for rejecting Him was tough.  I needed to rid myself of ME.  My thoughts must be humbled.  The self-pity must turn to self-acceptance. 

I still struggle confessing to my failings in relationships.  It is much easier to see the wrong decisions of another than your own.  We all must strive to see each other through God's eyes, not Satan's eyes.  Extend a hand of grace so you may receive the same.  Come humbly to one another, owning up to your end of the deal.  Release all anger to God.  Pray with/for one another.  Keep Him at the center of every relationship!

God, thank you for this day.  Thank You for continuing to heal my relationships.  Peace follows forgiveness and then You can work better through me.  Continue to open my eyes to the anger deep inside so I may be sanctified through and through.  I love You.

Keep praying harder than the devil can work.

Sheree Craig