Oh, here it comes - the
log and the speck analogy. How can I see to remove the speck in my brother's
eye when there is a log in my own? I've learned to live with my log, why
can't you? And anyway, I don't need to successfully remove the speck,
just make the effort--it's the appearance that counts in the best restaurants.
Of course, if I poke him in the eye enough times, he'll close his eye;
and no one will see the speck anyway. No. Specks and gnats are out; logs
and camels are okay.
Oh, and this faithfulness business. What does that get me? If I were to be faithful to every promise, every obligation, I would have to sacrifice time and resources that are far too valuable to sacrifice given the potential returns. What do you usually get for faithfulness? Generally it is ingratitude; it certainly isn't justice--everyone else is straining at gnats, too, remember.
And if I can't justify meeting obligations I have already made, I am certainly not going to expend any time or effort on the various needs that arise in the church or the community. Besides, I don't feel led, and I'm not gifted in those areas; those needs will have to get met some other way. There will be someone out there worrying about camels; we'll let him do it. He just isn't going to eat with us. For my part I'm not doing anything that doesn't benefit me.
You see, that is the great thing about straining gnats: it's all about me. I can define holiness as a concentration on me and my walk. Everything I do can be motivated by its effect on my own relationship with God or my reputation among other people. Avoiding an action merely because it will injure someone else certainly sounds nice, but I need a motivation closer to home. I need to know that what I do will help me avoid hurting myself or incurring ugly consequences or hindering my spirituality. I want to be completely self-involved in my pursuit of holiness and to define all spirituality in terms of its benefits to me. It's a time-honored tradition, and I'm not about to break it.
I know--Jesus isn't impressed with my table manners; but one of us has to keep up appearances, and I think He understands that. Besides, everyone wins: Jesus commands us to be focused on Him and the welfare of others; I appear to obey the command while being totally self-involved instead; and He and I get to eat at all the best restaurants. Who can argue with that?
Anyway, I think there's a gnat in your iced tea.
Text: Dan Weddle
Illustrations: Ken Westphal