Often God Speaks Humorous and Embarrassing Situations
Two elderly women, a mother and her daughter, live across the street from us.
I had never seen any visitors at their house - so after hearing that the mother had suffered a stroke, I decided to take my baby over for a visit. Babies represent such innocence, promise and hope! I knew that the ladies would be thrilled to be in the company of my three-month-old !
“Look Mother! Kathleen brought the baby!” the elderly daughter exclaimed as she opened the front door and led me to their couch.
“Oh, a baby! Hi baby! Aren’t you a darling baby!” the mother said as she reached for Matlin’s tiny fingers.
Matlin performed her best smiles and babble - the ladies were enchanted.
Yet not long into our conversation I noticed that their house did not smell very fresh. Although our visit was pleasant, the unpleasant odor was distracting.
“How can they live with this awful smell?” I thought to myself as I tried to smile and resume chatting.
Moments later, I was introduced to their giant tabby cat who roams freely about the house.
That explains the stench, I thought to myself. That cat has been allowed to use this house as a litter box.
After about 20 more minutes, I found it difficult to ignore the odor and was in need of repositioning myself and the baby. Normally I would lay her on the carpet, but this time I didn’t dare since the house was obviously unclean.
While lifting Matlin to lay her across my lap, the smell wafted strongly through the air. Suddenly I realized that the strange odor was MY child’s poo-poo diaper.
“Goodness!” I blurted as if suddenly noticing the smell, “I think Mattie has a poo-poo diaper!”
The elderly mother looked at me knowingly, “Well, I noticed a little scent coming from that direction, but I didn’t want to say anything.”
God speaks to me through humorous and embarrassing situations. So often, it is easier for me to detect something wrong (stench) in someone else’s life - when the real stench belongs to me.
Jesus put it this way: “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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:41-2)
Perhaps we need examine our own lives before critiquing someone else.
I believe that condemnation is the single greatest barrier to acceptance and love.
kathleen whitten June, 1995
