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IV. OF MOLEHILLS, MOTES AND GNATS
(Pettiness: ways to escape or endure)
(Matt. 7:1-3; (Matt. 23:23,28)
(May 30, 2004)

One night a policeman heard loud noises coming from a phone booth on the corner. He found a man taking the phone apart! He had bought hammers, screwdrivers, mallets and can openers at a nearby store. He had spent two hours and thirty dollars. When they brought him before a judge the man explained, “I was trying to get my dime back.” Now, was it really worth it?

In living, in making choices, in establishing priorities, there’s one question we should ask over and over again: “Is this really important?”

Before we react or overreact, we should ask. “Will this be significant 100 years from now?” Before we make decisions we should ask, “How does this rank in the overall scheme of things?” Before we make a hasty judgment, we should ask, “Would I still be this concerned if my house was burning down right now? Would I still be this concerned if my child was in an intensive care unit? Is this really important?”

Once an experienced crew of trained pilots were flying a high-powered modern jet. Things went smoothly until they discovered a light out. Each of the men began to fumble around trying to fix it. As they became distracted trying to find and replace a seventy-five cent bulb they got off course and eventually crashed.

That’s unbelievable! They forgot the most basic principle of aeronautics: “Don’t forget to fly the plane.” We must keep one criteria before us: “Is this really important?”

I. OF MOLE HILLS AND MOUNTAINS.

When it comes to personal aggravations, our criteria should be “Is this a molehill or a mountain?” We experience hurts and injustices and unfairness every day of our lives! Things on this earth are not perfect! Paul dealt with such matters in his letter to the Corinthians who were bringing law-suits against each other. He said, “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (I Cor. 6:7).

In other words, the Christian must ask, “Is my ego the center of the universe? Are my petty little frustrations more significant than overall progress? Am I justified in getting revenge for every affront? Must I protect my turf and maintain my pride at the expense of others?”

Once a teenager forgot to start the dishwasher as requested. His frantic mother, late from work and hurrying to speak to a PTA group on social problems blew her stack. After a particularly lengthy tirade, the boy wisely replied, “Yeah, Mom. Sure! And tonight when you tell those people about poverty, crime, world hunger, child abuse and terrorism; add `And oh yes! Worst of all, my son forgot to turn on the dishwasher.’ ” He certainly put things into perspective.

When we’re shortsighted and selfish it’s easy to make every molehill into a mountain. “My feelings are hurt so I have a right to withdraw my support from this program. My suggestions were ignored, so I have a right to destroy this project.” In short, “I’m upset so I have a right to do whatever is necessary in order to retaliate.” Yet Paul says, “Why not rather be wronged? . . .” (I Cor. 6:7).

The next time we feel put upon, let’s ask ourselves, “Is this a molehill or a mountain?” Is this really important?

II. OF MOTES AND BEAMS

When it comes to social relationships and conflicts, our criteria should be, “Is this a mote or a beam?” Christ said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged . . . And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”(Matt. 7:1-3).

It’s always easier to see other people’s faults than it is to see our own. It’s always a temptation to fix someone else. It’s always simpler to change other people into our image than it is to change ourselves into the image of Christ.

Someone said, “Reformers fix others. Saints fix themselves!” That’s the only procedure that really works. If each person would see and fix his own flaws, the whole world would be set right.

In fact, the trait or habit, or “beam” that so irritates us in others, often diminishes into a “mote” or insignificant speck if it’s in us.

When someone else takes his time,
He’s slow.
When I take my time,
I’m careful.

When someone else avoids a task,
He’s lazy!
When I avoid a task,
I’m busy!

When someone else does something
without being told,
He’s being pushy!
When I do something without
being told,
I’m showing initiative!

When someone else takes a stand,
He is stubborn.
When I take a stand,
I have convictions!

When someone else succeeds,
He’s lucky!
When I succeed,
I’m intelligent.

When someone else fails,
He’s stupid!
When I fail,
I got a tough break!

It’s human nature to minimize our own weaknesses and maximize other people’s weaknesses. Yet Christ says, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to casts out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:5).

A certain principal said to his teachers, “Let’s write our New Year’s Resolutions and I’ll put them on the staff bulletin board. Then, we can be mutually supportive in our efforts at self-improvement.” The teachers agreed.

When the resolutions were posted, everyone crowded around the bulletin board to read them. One young teacher suddenly went exploded in a fit of anger. She said, “He didn’t put up my resolution, and I handed it in early. He just doesn’t like me. This just shows his attitude.” On and on she raved. The principal, overhearing this from his office, was very embarrassed. He hadn’t meant to exclude her resolution. Quickly he rummaged through his desk, found it, and tacked it up. The resolution read, “I resolve not to let little things upset me anymore.”

The next time we have an urge to criticize and judge others, lets ask ourselves, “Is this a mote in their eye or a beam in mine?” Is this really important?

III. OF GNATS AND CAMELS

When it comes to religious doctrine our criteria should be, “Is this a gnat or a camel?”

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: Justice and mercy and faithfulness . . . You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness . . .”(Matt. 23:23,28).

Religion has often lost its credibility because it majored on minors and minored on majors. In Jesus’ day, as well as many other eras, the church has strained out the gnats and swallowed the camels. They say the church was embroiled in a heated argument over the length of the fringe on the priests’ vestment when the Russian Revolution broke out! Spending our time and energy and resources on trivia is grossly immoral!

The exact words that must be intoned in the ritual of Baptism is a gnat! The procedural details of observing the Lord’s Supper is a gnat! Yet we fight over these gnats, and hurt people over these gnats, and neglect weightier matters as we debate these gnats!
The type of music, the use of instruments, the order of service and the rules concerning ordination are all gnats. Yet we fight over them and hurt people over them and neglect weightier matters as we debate them.

Jesus says, “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat an swallow a camel!” (Matt. 23:24). So, the next time we get bogged down in theological hair splitting, lets ask ourselves, “Is this a gnat or a camel?” Is this really important?

Several of the greatest Scriptural thinkers and writers dealt with this question:

Micah asked dramatically, “With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:6-8).

Here he says, “Pleasing service to God does not consist of prayers and offerings and sacrifices and rituals. Instead, it’s remarkably simple! It’s so simple we neglect it. God wants us to be honest and tolerant and loving. Attitudes are important! Ceremonies are not important!”

James says almost the same thing, “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).
Real religion consists of compassion and integrity, not endless complicated creeds and doctrines. People are important. Things are not important!

Jesus was even more succinct. When asked “Which is the great commandment in the law?” He said it all in two sentences. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets” (Matt. 22:36-40).

Abraham Lincoln was never affiliated with any Christian denomination, although he is considered to be one of our most spiritual leaders. Someone once asked him why he had never joined a church, especially when it would have been a politically popular thing to do. “Well,” he said, “when I find a group that only requires what Christ did: Love God and your neighbor--nothing more and nothing less, I’ll join immediately and most gladly!”

We must get down to basics. We must stress essentials. We must not confuse gnats with camels.
In the complex world of day to day living, we all get distracted by pettiness and trivia; but let’s learn the difference between a “mole hill and a mountain.” Let’s realize the difference between “motes in other people’s eyes and beams in our own.” Let’s understand the difference between “gnats and camels.”

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These messages are from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2004 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. Please use them in any way you think appropriate. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in published works.