Pastoral
Letter for Wednesday 29th July:
My
Dear Friends,
The
story is told of the man who feared that his wife wasn’t hearing as
well as she used to - and he thought she might need a hearing aid.
Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family doctor to
discuss the problem. The doctor told him there is a simple informal
test he could perform to give some idea of the extent of the problem.
“Here’s
what you do,” said
the doctor, “stand
about 40 feet away from your wife, and in a normal conversational
speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20
feet, and so on - until you get a response.”
That
evening, the husband stood about 40
feet away away from his wife, and in a normal tone he asked her:
“Darling, what’s for dinner?” Hearing no
response, he moved closer till he was about 30 feet away from his
wife and repeated: “Dear,
what’s for dinner?” Still
there was no response. Getting more and more concerned, he stood
about 20 feet away from his wife and again asked: “What’s
for dinner, dearest?” Again,
sadly he got no response.
Next,
he placed himself about 10 feet away, and asked: “What’s
for dinner, darling?” Again
there was no response. Finally, he walked right up behind her and
said: “What’s
for dinner, dear?” At that, his wife completely lost her temper
and turned to him shouting: “Jim, for the FIFTH time! Its CHICKEN!
CHICKEN!”
It
is a salutary lesson to remember that the problem is not always with
others; sometimes the problem lies with ourselves. Every Saturday
the football terraces are full of people who are vehement critics and
yet would make a very poor show of the game themselves. Indeed, I
once heard a game of football described as twenty thousand people in
need of exercise watching twenty two people in need of a rest. We
are, however, so prone to see the faults and failings and weaknesses
in others; but so blind to our own imperfections. We are so quick to
point the finger; and yet so slow to any form of self-awareness.
Jesus,
you remember, once asked: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust
in your brother’s eye, with never a thought for the great plank in
your own?” (Matthew 7:3). The old Jewish Rabbis warned people
against judging others. “He who judges his neighbour favourably
will be judged favourably by God.” They taught that kindliness in
judgement is nothing less than a sacred duty.
Liz
joins me in sending our love to you all,
Alex.
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