“Specks”  Part 2

By Susanne Scheppmann

Key Verse:

Matthew 7:3-5, “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, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (NIV)  

Devotion:

I looked aghast at my photograph.  I blinked.  Maybe something was stuck to my mono-vision contact again, which produced this red blur. I blinked again.  No, there was definitely something on the photograph.  I wiped it—hard.  I stared at the 4x6 proof; I could still see the discoloration.  I opened and closed my eye, one more time, but it was still there.

What caught my attention was the big rusty-red slab of lipstick smeared across my front teeth.  This picture couldn’t be used on my business cards! I couldn’t believe the photographer hadn’t told me.  All right, maybe he couldn’t spot it through the camera lens.  However, I was with a group of businesswomen in Georgia and we opted to hire a photographer for new business cards.  Since it was a large group, the photographer granted us a discount for the photo shoots.  So what about the other thirty-five women in the room who hadn’t mentioned it either?  Embarrassment flushed my cheeks as I imagined their glances to each other communicating the thought, "Do you see her lipstick? Oh, bless her heart!”

                               

Then the snitty side of my personality seeped out. I hoped every blemish and wrinkle showed-up magnified on their photos.

 “I will think kinder and gentler thoughts tomorrow,” I told myself.

Later that same day, I went out with some friends.  I commiserated about the business photo.  Then I confessed my opinions about the other women in the photography studio.  One of my dearest friends, half-joking and half-serious, said, “Susanne, you’re just wrong on all levels.”   She hit the nail right on the head—my head.

Specks of lipstick, specks of sin. Just as I couldn’t see the smudge of color on my teeth, I was blind to my own hurtful failings.  I allowed my embarrassment and anger to assume the other women intentionally allowed me to be photographed with my teeth the color of red clay. 

Suddenly, I realized Jesus could have been speaking to me when he chided the Pharisees. “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, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:3-5 NIV). I needed to get the plank of anger out of my own eyes.  I had no right to judge the other women.

As a Christian, I should know better, but I often fall into the criticism trap.  The Holy Spirit reminds me of these words of Jesus, "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 (Matthew 7:1-2 NIV).  I certainly do not want to be judged by my own harsh measure of judgment. 

My sole contact lens sits in my left eye to give me clearer physical vision. I use wetting solution to wash physical debris from my eye.  However, when I acquire the spiritual rubble of being judgmental, whether a speck or plank, I need to ask Jesus, the Living Water to wash my spiritual eyes clean.

So after asking for my own forgiveness, I chose to forgive and forget the lipstick debacle. Why? Because “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (James 2:13 NIV). I know I certainly need more mercy than judgment in every area of my life.  I want Jesus to wipe clean my “planks” of sinful attitudes.

However, the next time I have my picture taken, I will look in a mirror for any smears of lipstick on my teeth. 

Prayer:

Jesus, wash the plank of judging others from my spiritual eyes.  Please forgive me for being quick to judge others when I carry so many faults myself.  Remind me on a daily basis that “Mercy triumphs over judgment” every time.  In Your Precious Name, Amen.

Application steps: 

Get a piece of 8x11 inch paper and then grab an old tube of lipstick.  Write on the paper, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!”  Now tape the paper in a prominent spot as a reminder to yourself and household to show mercy to each other.

Refection points:      

Am I quick to judge others?

How often do I grant mercy when I have been wronged?

Whom do I judge critically the most often?  (Husband, children, church, etc.)

Power verses:

James 3:17, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (NIV) 

Romans 2:1-3, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?” (NIV) 

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (NIV) 

James 2:13, “. . . Mercy triumphs over judgment!”  (NIV) 

© 2006 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

“Specks”   Part 1

By Susanne Scheppmann

Key Verse:

John 9:25, “. . .One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (NIV) 

Devotion:

Recently, I decided to wear a contact lens for my left eye.  Just one.  I needed it to enhance my close-up vision when I read.  I grew tired of scrambling to find my reading glasses, so I decided that a mono-vision contact was the answer to my sight problem.

Although now I can read without glasses, I have developed a new set of problems. For example, if my eye becomes too dry the plastic lens glues itself on to my cornea. A couple of months ago this occurred when I was staying at a hotel.  After sitting through several conference meetings the air-conditioned rooms seemed to zap the moisture from my eye. My left eye twitched throughout the day, but I ignored it.  By the time evening came, my contact lens had affixed itself to my eyeball.  No amount of wetting solution seemed to be able to release me from my predicament.  Finally, after much prayer and panic, it loosened just enough for me to peel it off.  My dear roommate said, “That’s it!  I am never wearing contacts.”  I couldn’t blame her.

Yet, I persevered with my new vision adventure. Next, a fleck of lint flew past my lashes to crash land on the runway of plastic in my eye.  Blinding pain flashed brightly in my head.  I felt like screaming, “Once I could see; now I am blind!”  I poured an entire bottle of eye drops into my eye in the attempt to wash away the speck. 

This episode of momentary blindness gave me an appreciation, not only for the physical sense of sight, but spiritual sight as well.  Many times spiritual blindness plagues us and we are not even aware of it.  For example, in the book of Judges, Samson’s eyes were gouged out by his enemies.  It was not until his physical eyes saw only darkness that Samson began to use his spiritual eyes to see his need. In this moment of deepest darkness, he called on God for help.  God healed his spiritual blindness.

Jesus specialized in healing the blind, both kinds—spiritual and physical.  In John Chapter 9, Jesus gives sight to a man born blind.  When questioned about the physical healing the man replied, “One thing I do know I was blind but now I see!”  (John 9:25).  

Isn’t that amazing?  But wait it gets better. Now let’s look at his new spiritual eyesight.  Verses 35-38 reveal the rest of the story. “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

   "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

   Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

   Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.” (NIV)  This man saw Jesus and chose to believe in Him.

Thankfully, Jesus came to relieve all of us from spiritual darkness. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" and “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (John 8:12; 46 NIV) 

Although, my physical vision needs a little assistance, I do possess spiritual vision because of Jesus.  He gives sight and light to the blind.

So I will continue to wear my contact lens, because the benefits outweigh the occasional hazard. Specks that blow into my eye do give me temporary physical darkness, but I am grateful nothing can remove the Light of Jesus from my soul.  Because I know Him as my God, I can shout, “Once I was blind, but now I see!”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you that I see true spiritual Light.  I am grateful for Your forgiveness of all my sins.  Help me to continue to walk in the Light. I ask, “Your word be a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NIV)  In Your Precious Name, Amen.

Application steps: 

Read John Chapter 9.  Underline the word “blind.”  Circle the word ‘sin’ or ‘sinner’. Notice what seem to be the most important points of the story.  Now rewrite this story in two to three paragraphs as if you were explaining it to a young child.  If you have or know a youngster, tell or read to them your simplified version of Jesus giving sight to the blind. 

 

Refection points:      

How is your spiritual eyesight?

Do you believe in the Light of the World?

Do you have a speck of doubt clouding your eyesight?

Power verses:

Psalm 146:8, “The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.” (NIV) 

Isaiah 42:6-7, “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”  (NIV)

Micah 7:8, “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” (NIV) 

© 2006 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

White Noise”

By Susanne Scheppmann

Key Verse:

 Mark 4:9, “Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (NIV) 

Devotion:

The vacuum roared as the        baby slept sweetly in her baby swing. It seems the constant background noise of the vacuum helped little Emily to stay in a deep slumber. Her tiny ears allowed the vacuum to lull her to sleep while blanketing other distractive sounds.

Her mommy appreciates this phenomenon of background noise.

This observable fact is recognized as “white noise.” It works so well that white noise machines are available for purchase. They aid students who require attention in reading.  The device blocks background sounds as the student reads silently to his or herself. Some businesses provide white noise CDs with headphones, to remove irritating distractions for their employees.

Although, white noise carries benefits, I am not sure this holds true in our spiritual life.  I can’t count how many times I have let the busyness of my life become like white noise. My to-do list shouts at me each time I pass by the fridge where it hangs. Emails demand my attention. People, I love, ask me for favors. My church desperately needs volunteers. My weary body wants to take a nap. It all becomes white noise to my soul.

This white noise of life causes me to become hard of hearing—spiritually. It drowns out the Lord Jesus beckoning me to come sit quietly at His feet. Luke 10:38-42 demonstrates a wonderful example of a woman like me who has too much white noise in her life.

    As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

    "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."  (NIV)

Oh, how I long for Jesus to say, “Susanne has chosen what is better and it will not be taken from her.” 
Although, I know it will be a struggle,  this year I will strive to be more like Mary and less like Martha. I want to eliminate the white noise of busyness. I desire to have ears that hear the voice of my Lord.  
Would you like to join me in the commitment to eliminate spiritual white noise from your life in 2007?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, give me ears to hear you. Remind me each day of the upcoming year to put time aside to sit quietly and listen. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Application steps: 

Determine today to allow at least ten minutes sitting quietly with the Lord Jesus. Place it as your number one priority on your things to-do list. 

Refection points:      

What becomes spiritual “white noise” in your life?

What steps can you take to eliminate it this year?

How does busyness squeeze out your quiet time with the Lord?

 Power verses:

 John 10:27, “Sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (NIV) 

 Isaiah 28:23, “Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.”  (NIV) 

Isaiah 32:9, “You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!” (NIV) 

© 2007 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.