Lessons from Kickball
By Lexi Ellis
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way
you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
Matthew 7:1-3 (NIV)
I recently noticed something while supervising recess. During kickball, a kicker often sends the ball back to the pitcher, claiming it was too fast or not straight. Automatically, the outfield complains. "Just kick it." "Hurry up!" "That was straight!" However, when the teams have switched, the once-complainers do the same thing, demanding the "perfect pitch." Now the new outfield team complains, echoing identical phrases. Back and forth, the outfield complains at the kicker sending the ball back...until it's their turn.
And while it's funny to watch, I realized we often do the exact same thing: We're critical of someone else, but find plenty of excuses for when we do the exact same thing. I'm annoyed when someone is running late, but justify why I'm late myself another time. I make a judgment on someone's response and then have that same attitude another day. Unfortunately, this isn't unheard of in the Christian community. We are heartbroken by past prominent Christian leaders who were vocally critical of sin...only to find out they were entrenched in that same struggle.
The Message paraphrase of the verse above uses "sneers" and "smudges" instead of the common "splinter" and "plank in the eye" translation. If I'm honest, there are times my thoughts quickly jump on someone else's smudge - - his or her failures or faults. And sadly, our dwelling on this smudge often is, in reality, an attempt to inflate ourselves. How foolish of us! Jesus goes on in this verse to call this what it is: pure hypocrisy. Dwelling on someone else's smudge and ignoring my own sneer is not only a lack of compassion, it reveals an uglier, judgmental condition of my heart.
Being critical of others' shortcomings quickly turns into something I use to boost myself up. Unfortunately, because we all have sin and things we're working on, the things I'm critical of are commonly the very things I am no better at when I remove the excuses I use to make my own faults "different" or "okay."
It's pretty silly seeing my kids complain and do the same thing moments later in an easy-going game of kickball at recess. But I'm thankful for the reminder to reject time and energy spent on others' smudges and choose to invest it in asking for His help in continually addressing my sneers.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Take time to honestly reflect on the time and energy you spend on others' smudges.
2. Take time alone with your God to repent and ask His forgiveness.
FURTHER READING:
Lexi and her husband, Andrew, have an adorable puppy named Calvin. She teaches sixth grade at Silver Lake Intermediate School. Lexi serves with Children's Ministries and is the Fresh Start Coordinator.
