Elevators and Stairs

As many of you may already know I work at First Data in one of the buildings on the old Aksarben property. Our office building has four floors and I work on the third floor of the south building, what we call AK2.

So this morning I am the last guy on the elevator. Turns out all of the other five folks or so are going to the 4th floor. I announce that I need to go to the third floor. I then commented that I knew what they were all thinking - 'why can't this guy just walk up two stories?' 'Hey', I said, ' I know this because it's exactly what us third floor people think about second floor people - why can't you just take the stairs?'

We then all shared a laugh - and then the fourth floor people agreed that when second floor people get on they better have a good reason - a crutch or a big bag or something. I guess no one likes second floor elevator riders. Turns out fourth floor people can be pretty funny and very insightful.

Anyway, I was just thinking that we all have a pretty good idea of what others need to do - including knowing that second floor people need to take the stairs. But we also know more than that don't we? We know (as we eat ice cream and sit and watch people) that the guy over there needs to loose some weight - why would he let himself get like that? And that gal over there needs to do something with her hair- it looks terrible. Those are just for starters.

Maybe we are best at knowing what others need to do when it comes to faith. They need to come to church more often, and those folks over there need to pay attention to the sermon - this message seems to be a perfect fit for them. And that guy over there? He shouldn't even be here with the way he lives. We can do a pretty good job of seeing around the log in our own eye to see the flaws in others can't we (Matt 7:3-5)? We are pretty good judge Judys and Keiths and and and....

Jesus gave a warning about just this sort of activity towards the end of His sermon on the mount. Maybe when He started talking about giant floor beams (logs) in someone's eye seeing a small splinter in the eye of another He got a laugh or two. But they quickly got a serious message just a sentence later- calling folks who see around logs 'hypocrits'- pretenders, actors. Jesus knew how to turn a funny story serious in a hurry.

So the call this morning is to examine our own lives first and foremost. To make plans to do some beam removal work. Let's put our bad activities underfoot where they belong. Today let's not be judge-mental let's be develop-mental and self-improve-mental if you know what I mean. Oh, and if you are going out today to a second floor location - and I say this to all without any judgement whatsoever - please take the stairs.

Blest Regards,
kp