You are too…

Ever heard someone say, “You are too skinny” or “You are too vocal”, or “You are too smart” ?  Do you know why these comments are raised in most instances?

Here’s my take, and it comes from Jesus and the book of John that I’ve been plowing through of late.  One verse in particular caught my attention, and I had to look up a few commentaries on it to get a better feel for the meaning.  First, here’s the verse.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. The Holy Bible : NIV Jn 15:22

My first thoughts were that this was an incorrect statement.  I needed to call up Jesus and explain that the Pharisee’s, as well as everyone else, were guilty of sin before Jesus came!  Then after some thoughtful reading I saw the correct (at least what seems correct to me) take on this statement from Jesus.  Much like my first questions up at the top.  When someone comes into a room that is a lot skinnier than everyone else, the first comment much of the time is “You need some meat on your bones” or “You’re going to blow away!”, when an equally correct observation may be, “You look sooo healthy!”, “Wow, everyone here but you is a bit overweight!”.  OR, when a doctor comes in the room, how often does some gossip creep in about how this “smart person” messed up in some way, OR, in school, how many kids are made fun of because they used their God given brains and did well on a test or in a class?  In the case of Jesus and the Pharisee’s, Jesus was the sinless one, and the Pharisee’s could not act like they were any longer!  The Pharisee’s could not stand in the same room as Jesus and look at Jesus and compliment him for his TRUTH.  They had to try and bring him down, much like many of us have brought down someone who “threatened” us in some way.

Yes, we can be pretty selfish a lot of the time.  “Would you please stop evangelizing?  It’s embarrassing!” It wouldn’t be embarrassing if you’d do it too! (or accept that some people will do it and others not).  The key is that we recognize our failings and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.  Next time I’m in a room and somehow a negative thought appears and I want to “bring down” someone who is “better” than me in ANY way, I hope I choose the high road.  I hope I choose to see the benefit of encouraging this person, of telling them they look great or I am impressed with what they have been able to accomplish, or am glad they did well on that test that I failed.  It’s not easy to compare ourselves to others and accept our deficiencies.  Choose to stay positive, and not trudge down the path of self righteousness by “beating down” someone in order to make ourselves feel better.

In Christ,

Jeff