Dunbar United Church of Christ - February 7, 2010

I. My mother-in-law plays bingo and recently she played at some place and a woman at her table complained about New Haven mayor DeStefano because she thought he helped minorities and immigrants too much, especially Mexicans. She said, “I bet he’s not Italian at all -- he’s probably Mexican himself -- and he’s probably gay because he’s always trying to help those people too. Why else would he be helping all these illegal and perverted people. When my family came here from Italy, they had self-respect. They didn’t take handouts but worked hard. Not like these foreigners over here today. These people are lazy -- and they have no pride. And don’t get me started on gays -- gay rights, civil unions, gay marriage. It’s sick, just sick. I fear for our children -- look at the world they have to grow up in.”

II. The interesting thing about this woman’s rant -- everyone at the table agreed with her, or kept quiet. But that’s human nature. As the youth in confirmation class said last month -- people “rank” on each other all the time. And they always have -- ever since Adam blamed Eve for making him eat the forbidden fruit!

III. The problem with judging others is that it blinds us -- it kills our insight -- our self-understanding. And without insight, we can’t grow -- we can’t see, or treat, our own disease. So Jesus said, “Stop the judging -- but look in your own soul -- if you have the courage. Look at all the garbage there -- the greed, prejudice, anger, envy -- the meanness that shrinks the heart into such a puny, little thing! Look!” Jesus said, “at your own cess pools of hatred and stop pointing fingers at God’s other children. Clean your house first -- then you can to help others.”

IV. When we judge, we look outside -- and can’t see that often we’re worse than the people we condemn!

The spiritual life is looking inside -- we make peace with our own demons -- so we can love the demon in our neighbor. Our first exorcism has to be our own.

V. In the readings this morning, the prophet Isaiah, the apostle Paul, and the disciple Peter all confessed how dirty and bad they were. The closer they got to God, the more they agonized over how not-like-God they were.

That’s insight. Our problem isn’t with the terrorists, the Muslims, the gays, the Mexicans. The disease is the evil spirit in us that says we’re better than the people we don’t like.

The devil speaks in our ear: “Isn’t it terrible that everybody can’t be as good as you?” Well, Jesus told us what to say when we hear stuff like that: “Satan, get behind me.”

I know! -- next time we get the urge to rank on someone -- we should just spit. Wherever we are and we’re tempted to judge -- just spit all that deadly poison out of your mouth. If you’re playing bingo with a table full of people and feel like dumping on Mayor DeStefano -- before the words are out of your mouth -- just spit. It’s ok. People might think you’re weird, but better to look weird than kill your soul.

And then, after you spit or cough or do whatever you have to do to stop the poison words, focus back on Jesus -- keep looking at him.

He will show us the better way.