Yesterday afternoon, I was doing some dishes left over from lunch and the water wasn't draining on one side of the sink. Granted, our sink isn't from the 21st century, but whenever you wash dishes the old fashioned way (i.e. without a dishwasher), it's somewhat crucial that the water drains through.
Stupid sink.
"It's probably just a clogged drain since the pot of soap is barely covering it up," I thought. Five minutes go by, and the water has receded approximately 1 centimeter. "Just lift the pot up and see what happens," Common Sense told me. Sure enough, the water drained through quickly.
And that got me thinking.
So often when we're facing problems in a relationship with a family member, friend, or co-worker, it's too easy to eenie-meenie-miny-moe on something other than the root issue. But Christianly, before we play the blame game, it's our job to evaluate ourselves before we bang the gavel on someone else.
Just like I thought the problem was with the drain (something I can't fix), likewise it's too easy for me to point the finger. "It's her fault!" But the reality is, the problem could be as simple as "lifting the pot," repenting of a sinful reaction in my life (something I can fix).
This isn't to negate situations where the other person is indeed at fault. But even then, it's easy to settle on the worst case scenario, coming up with reasons why he didn't return the phone call or why she is being distant for no seemingly legitimate reason.
In the conflicts we have with those around us, almost every time there's something we can change about our reaction in order to honor and love them the way Christ loved us.
Stupid sink.
"It's probably just a clogged drain since the pot of soap is barely covering it up," I thought. Five minutes go by, and the water has receded approximately 1 centimeter. "Just lift the pot up and see what happens," Common Sense told me. Sure enough, the water drained through quickly.
And that got me thinking.
So often when we're facing problems in a relationship with a family member, friend, or co-worker, it's too easy to eenie-meenie-miny-moe on something other than the root issue. But Christianly, before we play the blame game, it's our job to evaluate ourselves before we bang the gavel on someone else.
"Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged;
and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye,
but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
'Let me remove the speck from your eye';
and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
~ Matthew 7:1-5 ~
Just like I thought the problem was with the drain (something I can't fix), likewise it's too easy for me to point the finger. "It's her fault!" But the reality is, the problem could be as simple as "lifting the pot," repenting of a sinful reaction in my life (something I can fix).
This isn't to negate situations where the other person is indeed at fault. But even then, it's easy to settle on the worst case scenario, coming up with reasons why he didn't return the phone call or why she is being distant for no seemingly legitimate reason.
In the conflicts we have with those around us, almost every time there's something we can change about our reaction in order to honor and love them the way Christ loved us.
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