The Pacific NW has been one of the timber capitals of the world since white settlers first came here.  Harvest now is far below what it was in its heyday, but logging trucks still roam the freeways, lumber mills are on the endangered list but not extinct, and the ports still ship forests of poles overseas.  Around these parts, when you say “log”, it creates a clear picture.  Which is why Jesus’ words about “specks” in our brother’s eye and “logs” in our own evokes quite the visual image.

So, I have this friend named Moe.  (OK, that’s not really his name, but in this kind of literature, it’s ok to pretend and make up names so readers won’t know who you’re talking about.  At least, most of them won’t.  Some may guess, I suppose, but I can’t help that, because I have to tell HIS story or the rest of what I say won’t make sense.)  anyway… Moe has a job where he interfaces with the public a lot.  I enjoy listening to him talk about some of the interesting encounters God has arranged for him.  Moe actually prays before work and ASKS God to set up these things, and he talks about feelings of purpose in his being there for them.  But when Moe talks about his boss, or his work schedule… that’s another story.  Then he’s pretty much just any other employee griping about work.

So, the other day I was thinking about Moe and his attitudes.  With the “wisdom” we’re always ‘blessed’ with when it comes to passing judgment on others, I was thinking that maybe I should just have a quiet word with him and point out how much more effective his witness might be if he took a more godly attitude.   Yes, sir, I was in feeling very upright and spiritual.  Gonna help set my brother straight, you bet.  For his own good, absolutely.   Well…

God sighed, chuckled, shook His head, and started up a little conversation.  “So, my beloved child… you think Moe’s got a problem, do you?’

“Oh, yeah.  You’ve shown it to me quite clearly.”

“Oh… I have, have I?  Hmm.  Be that as it may…  Tell me what you think the issue is.”

“Well, you see, from the way Moe complains about his boss, it seems pretty obvious that he isn’t praying for him.  After all, You told us to pray for our enemies, for those who persecute us, or do us harm, and to do good to those who do us evil, didn’t you?”

“You’re certainly right.  I did.”

“Moe runs his boss down pretty freely when he’s with our group.  I know all kinds of details about they guy – none to his credit.  I don’t think that’s very respectful.”

“Quite possibly not.  I’m glad you’ve noticed this.  Now I have a question for you.”

“Umm… ok.”  I always get nervous when God asks me questions.

“Your husband has a job, doesn’t he?”

Oh, good – an easy one to answer.  “Yes, he does, and you know how thankful I am that he has one with all the uncertainties of these times!”

“And what’s the management like there?”

“Lord, YOU know – they’re awful.  I mean, really, really awful.  If there’s a bad decision to make, they’ll make it.  If there’s a way to shaft the employees, they’ll…”

“You’re right.  I DO know.  So I have another question for you.  How long since you prayed for them?”

Boy, He never hesitates with getting up close and personal, does He?  “Um… well… er…. ah…  recently?  Sometime?  Yes, that’s it.  I’m sure I’ve prayed for them sometime!”

“Uh-huh.  And how long since you badmouthed them to someone?”

“Can I plead the fifth?”

“No.  That’s not in My constitution.”

“Oh, all right then.  A couple of days ago when my cousin was here.”

“And before that?”

“At the grocery store. … Bible study. … Church. … On the chat loop. …  In a letter.  …. Can I stop now?  I get the point.”

“OK.  Let’s talk about what you think Moe’s other issue is.  You were thinking of telling him he should think of his work differently?”

Whew.  A chance to redeem myself!  “Yeah.  He gripes and complains about his work schedule as if You had nothing to do with it.  Surely he understands that You are in charge of that, too.  And no matter how grueling it is, he can trust that You’ll get him through it – or get him through the consequences of NOT getting through it!”

“Sounds reasonable.  Now back to Rob’s job.”

Uh-oh.  Turning it back on me again!  Red alert!  “What about it?”

“I hear they’re running the department pretty badly.”

Oh, good.  I was on solid ground here.  (I’m pretty slow sometimes!)  “Boy, howdy, are they!  It’s terrible!  The workers are expected to keep up with all the new technologies and systems without any training.  They’re cutting personnel and pay and increasing our benefit costs and  there’s this ridiculous new building they have to work in that …”

He went for the jugular.

“Yeah, you know, I went on vacation to Bermuda for a few years and just got back and was horrified at what they’d done while I was gone!  I mean, if I’d been around, I never would have let those kinds of things happen.  It’s not as if I could ever have any purpose in those kinds of trials and frustrations, using them to conform Rob to the image of my Son or anything like that.”

Oh, boy.  I walked right into that one, didn’t I?  “Wait a minute!  That’s not what I meant.”

“But that’s JUST what you’re accusing Joe of!  Come on, doesn’t your complaining about all these things sound like you are accusing me of being asleep at the wheel?”

By now, I’m sure my face was blushing fire-engine red.  “Well, now that you put it that way….  sure.”

“And am I the only one you’ve shared these complaints with?

“Ummmmm…..  no.”

“No is right, kiddo!  You’ve been as free in those complaints as in talking about the management.  How long has it been since you read I Thess. 5:18? ‘Give thanks in all circumstances.'”

“Yesterday, actually.  I was thinking …. of …. Moe.”

“But when you think of yourself, where did you find a footnote that said, ‘unless you don’t LIKE the circumstances’?”

“Um…. Hezekiah 3:11b?”

“Har har.  There isn’t one and you know it.  I said ALL and I mean ALL.”

“Well, like I said before, I’ve always been thankful that Rob has a job!  Isn’t that enough?”

“Nope.  Being thankful for A job isn’t the same as being thankful for THIS job.  Don’t you believe that if I’d wanted him someplace else I could have arranged to move him any time I wanted??”

“Well…. yeah.”

“So, you’ve prayed for me to move him, and I’ve said ‘no’.  What does that tell you?”

“That he’s where you want him to be?”

“You got it!  And if he’s where I want him to be, is that something to complain about?”

Sigh.  “No. …  But …. well …. can’t I even talk about them at all?  After all, they are hard things to deal with.”

“Sure you can talk about them.  You just can’t complain about them.  You can ask for prayer about them for you to have a godly response.  You can even ask for Me to change them, as long as you’re ready to accept whatever answer I give.  But I think you’ll find that the more you do what I’ve told you to do – praying for ‘enemies’ like the nefarious management and thanking Me in all circumstances – the less you’ll feel the need to even talk about them. ….  Now, about Moe?”

By now, of course, I was feeling pretty low – lower than a snake’s bellybutton in a wagon rut, as the old saying goes.  Moe’s issue?  Ha!  A speck of dust floating on the breeze.  Mine?  One big, ugly, so-big-you-coud-drive-a-bus-through, old-growth California redwood!  Oh, yeah, it was definitely log harvesting time.   “Wow, Lord, I’ve been really blind, huh?”

“Not the first time, dearheart.  That’s why you need a Saviour, you know.”

“I’m sorry!  Thank you for forgiving me for my own wrong attitudes, and for being self-righteous about Moe’s.  And thanks for keeping me from having that talk with Moe!  It would have been a sin against him to do it….  Not to mention making an even bigger slice of humble pie to eat.”

“Seeing better without that log in your eye?”

“Oh, yeah.  But I have a feeling this isn’t the last of these logs you need to harvest.”

“It’s not, but we’ll deal with them as you’re ready.  This is part of conforming YOU, you know.  I’m happy to do it!”

So… anyone need some firewood?