R is for Retro-Specking

Here the relevant biblical text is Jesus' teaching about the speck and the log. "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye." (Mt. 7: 3-5) This speck-to-log maneuver is a basic axiom for any Christian ethics.

Notice, the speck we detect in the neighbor's eye is not imaginary. It is a real speck. Her sin is plain to see. And we are only too good at detecting it. What we are not good at, in fact are humanly incapable of, is turning the speck-detecting back upon ourselves. There the speck by comparison is enormous, log sized. Even so, we still can't see it. Our judgment upon the neighbor may have been valid enough. But now that judgment backfires upon ourselves, the judges. (Don't you engineers use the word "retro-fires"?) Still, it is that exactly that we cannot do: retro-speck. And yet we must, if we are to be "disciples" and not just "hypocrites."

Logging On

What we have to do, says seminarian-punster Leslie Striegel, is "log on." Still, that calls for the most devastating self-criticism. And even then, self-criticism, even the most unsparing self-criticism, won't remove our log. It may help us "see" it. But it won't "take the log out of your eye." What will? Finally, as the Matthean Jesus eventually explains, the only effective log extractor is forgiveness, his forgiveness, his forgiveness of the log-eyes. But then, says student Joan Cobb, he gives them a remarkable "promise" besides: "then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye." And you'll never guess how. Or maybe you will.

Richard Leigh, a psych-tech at local Alexian Brothers Hospital, recalls the following story. Watch for the retro-specking, but also, beyond that, the forgiveness -- even if Richard has to imagine it.

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