LET'S BE WILLING TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR

LET’S BE WILLING TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR

Possibly the greatest of human character traits is the virtue of honesty.  Indeed, honesty is the first cousin of integrity (wholeness) since our ability to objectively evaluate ourselves is an open portal to personal healing.  It is important to note that divine favor resides at the intersection of honesty and humility.

It is always easier to point fingers at the faults of others.  In truth, we all have clay feet.  Which means that each of us has a ledger of faults, failures, foibles and fiascoes for which we must account to ourselves, and ultimately be judged by our Creator.

The Word of God clearly instructs us on this matter, in the words of the Apostle Paul and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, respectively:

--Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

--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 7:3-5)

Those powerful words remind me of a biographical account I read in James McPherson’s “Drawn with the Sword.” (Oxford University Press, 1996)  It summarized the life of James Hammond, who was a famous plantation owner, a slaver, a congressman and a governor, but was also the epitome of self-deception.

It is a well-documented historical fact that Mr. Hammond blatantly abused his power in order to satisfy his sexual perversions.  In 1839, he purchased an 18-year-old slave named Sally, making her his concubine and fathering many children by her.  Then when Sally’s daughter turned twelve, he also made her his concubine and fathered children by her.

Not content with sexual escapades with his slaves, he also sexually abused his sister’s four daughters.

Eventually, Hammond’s evil ways caught up with him and his brother-in-law threatened to publicly reveal the sexual assaults on his daughters if he did not resign from political office.  Hammond’s wife left him, and most of his livestock died as a result of disease epidemics.

Nevertheless, James Hammond was unbelievably blind to the error of his ways.  Here is what he wrote in his diary.  “It crushes me to see everything of mine so blasted around me.  My Negroes, cattle, mules, hogs, everything around me seems to labor under some ill-fated malediction.  Great God, what have I done? Never was a man so cursed!”

Astonishing, isn’t it?  However, Mr. Hammond’s story might in some ways be similar to our own.  While it is effortless and easy to microscope the sins and shortcomings of others, it is a challenging thing to visualize our own errors.  Prayerfully consider that personal possibility.

The scriptures admonish every man to carefully “examine himself” and to “examine his own work.” (I Corinthians 11:28 – Galatians 6:4)  To wit, we must not “judge” others. (Matthew 7:1)  Rather, we must be ready and willing to look into the mirror of God’s Word and evaluate ourselves – from God’s point of view.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!