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LETS GET INTO FINGER-POINTING ACT.... OF A DIFFERENT KIND!
One of the strange paradoxes’ of our world is that while defilement spreads by contact, holiness doesn’t
(Haggai 2:11-13).
By the same token, disease is contagious whereas sadly good health isn’t. A Chikungunia epidemic (in the Indian context)
can spread by a mosquito bite but wholesome health doesn’t. Stretching this analogy, further it has to
be said that
finger-pointing acts fuelled by prejudice are ‘infectious’, whereas appreciative opinion about an acquaintance isn’t!
Coming to the Biblical realm, one doesn’t have to look beyond the friends of Job to arrive at this conclusion
(No prejudice against them, please!). It has been jocularly said that with the kind of friends Job had,
he did not need enemies. Weren’t they by his side, in the first place to comfort him in the midst of all his
sorrows?
(Job 2:11). Whoever asked these worthies to play the detective to find the root cause of Job’s
difficulties; there they were, magnifying glass & all surmising that his cup of woes’ was running over only
because of his sins
(Job22: 4-11). How wrong! Since the righteous Judge of the World himself had certified him
to be the most righteous person on planet earth
(Job 1:8).
‘Good men rejoice, while the wicked suffer at the hands of a just God’ is the plaintive observation of
not only the simple at heart but also that of (it should be added) ‘simpletons’ in faith.
‘Lord, is this
man born blind on account of his sins or that of his parents?’
(John 9:1-2). This poser of the disciples
to our Lord, one can well argue, is the very definition of prejudice. However without being too
judgmental of the disciples’ demeanor, a reality check, putting ourselves in the shoes’ of our Lord’s
disciples would reveal that we too would have been carried away by prejudice at the sight of that blind
man & posed a similar question.
At a time, the needy require our help; let the ‘Good Samaritan’ in us
take over. Let love ride the roughshod over prejudice, like we see it doing in the eventual action of
our Lord when it came to curing the blindness of this man about whom his disciples’ had such a misplaced
opinion.
Coming back to Job’s friends… an honest prayer to God seeking the main cause of Job’s problems would have made
them come to grips with the truth that Job’s problems galore were an offshoot of a cosmic contest being ‘fought’
in the spiritual realm. However the ‘heart of the matter’ with respect to their disposition was that they
showed ‘no heart’ to pray & seek an answer from God about Job’s pitiable condition. On the other hand they
showed no qualms in applying salt to his copiously bleeding wounds, as it were, by way of their prickly accusations.
Wouldn’t God have revealed the ‘truth’ to them about the ‘cosmic contest’ had they humbly sought
His counsel in this matter, thereby ‘clothing’ them with a much-needed humane spirit, even as they sought to
counsel & comfort their saintly friend?
The unsaid ‘dress code’ at that sensitive juncture required that they
don not a customary apparel of ‘sackcloth & ashes’ but a more fitting (to the occasion that is)’clothing’ of care.
But prejudice, held sway and the result? They inadvertently aggravated the problems of a grieving
soul & ended up being ripe for God’s punishment. It was only God’s grace & Job’s timely intercessory prayers
guided by a forgiving spirit, which saved them from a just Divine comeuppance
(Job 42:7-11).
Sad isn’t it? Gossip & slanderous reports- both an offshoot of prejudice spread like wildfire whereas a salutary
report of a person’s good deeds does not. As Christians, who are called to be ‘different’, isn’t it time to
do a ‘health check’ with respect to prejudice? Are we often susceptible to it or we immune
to this ‘disease’ by God’s ‘vaccination’ of wisdom & care in our hearts?
Even Saints are not immune…
Well, Job’s friends weren’t saints but even saints seem to fall prey to this ‘disease’,
vulnerable as they are, in the moments of their discouragement. ‘Lord, none cares for you in this defiled
land of Idol worship except me’ seems to be in essence the complaint of Elijah the mighty prophet in
I Kings 19:14.
It is interesting to note God’s response to His prophet who obviously had no reservations on
blowing his own trumpet. Without harshly dismissing his cocky claim, the good Lord goes on to say that there are
still 7000 men who loved him intensely (same chapter verse18). Only that a mortal Elijah with the finite
propensity to jump to conclusions did not see them, while an omnipresent God with an infinite capacity did.
Economic criteria? Non-sense…
While looking at James condemnation of social & economical favoritism
(James 2:1-7) it is pertinent to notice
his observation on ‘poor people blessed richly in faith’, necessitating yet another round of honest
introspection vis-à-vis our opinion about those from lower strata of society. Great spiritual accomplishments
are surely not beyond their reach. A Sister in faith once confessed to me of having cast a prejudiced
look at a vegetable vendor (also a lady) who joined her prayer group, lately. Only after hearing prayers’
of this poor lady which spoke as eloquently about the prayer group needs’ as it did about the spiritual
maturity of the person who prayed (a prayer it is said is a dead giveaway of the spiritual condition of
the prayer), did my acquaintance humbly cry out to God for forgiveness for her prejudice.
‘Lord, tell this lazy sister of mine to help me in the kitchen, instead of wasting her time at thy feet’
was Martha’s complaint (to put it succinctly) to our Lord about her devout sister Mary
(Luke10:38-41).
Prejudice that great ‘time-saver’ to the fore again! Time-saver because it ‘facilitates’ us in the process of
jumping to conclusions on an issue without even wanting to seek God’s perspective on the related issue. Well,
our Lord loving rebuke in response may have been an eye-opener to Martha. At the cost of serving Him, was she
not missing out on a more paramount call of worshipping Him?
So without being judgmental in our disposition, let’s resolve to build each other up
(I Thessalonians 5:11/
Galatians 5:15). And finally its action time! In keeping with our call to be not only
listeners’ but also doers’ of His word, isn’t it time to get merrily into the ‘finger-pointing act’… the one
with a difference, ofcourse… of pointing fingers only at a person’s good character & his good deeds.
If love & not prejudice is reigning in our hearts, that would be natural, isn’t it!
Yours in His service,
(Suresh Manoharan)
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