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 and blessing reside at the intersection of honesty and
humility.
It
is always easier to point fingers at the faults of others. In truth, 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 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 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 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 (his own daughter) turned twelve, he also made her his
concubine and fathered more children by her.
Not content with
sexual escapades with those 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 epidemic disease.
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 could in some ways be similar to our
own. While it is effortless and easy to microscope the sins and
shortcomings of others, particularly ones as heinous and repugnant as his, it
is somewhat challenging to visualize our own transgressions and errors.
Prayerfully consider that 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.
The mirror never
lies, unless one wills it be so. Naked honesty
is the indispensable prerequisite to spiritual and emotional healing.
Sisters and
brothers, be continually blessed and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE
READY TO MEET YOUR SOON COMING KING.
Maranatha!
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