This is a picture of me “planking” at Comerica Park. What is planking? Well, Urban Dictionary described planking as: “a great pastime for people who get bored easily and have friends willing to take pictures of them looking ridiculous.” This is pretty accurate, but what the definition fails to mention is that it’s FUN.
The other day, Xmin had a Downtown Detroit Planking Adventure. It was a blast to come up with different funny, creative, adventurous, and/or straight up awesome planks (like mine). I think my planking picture is super awesome, but when it comes right down to it… its just documentation of me looking stupid in a public place.
Look what Jesus has to say about planking… “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that speak out of your eye,; when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speak from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:4-5).
I realize that, like planking, I often call the plank in my eye other things. Sometimes I call it, “no big deal,” “accidental,” “just the way that I am,” ETC. But no matter what I like to call it, it is actually SIN. I’ve been really convicted to call the plank in my eye what it actually is, gossip. Yep, that’s my plank, and it’s a sin. I tend to have no problem noticing it in other people’s lives, but then I justify it’s existence in my life.
Having planks in my eye hurts my vision and can keep me from seeing God’s plans. If I keep walking around with sin in my eyes, I’m gonna get off the path He has placed me on (because I can’t see it). God wants me to call the plank what it really is, repent of it, and let Him fix my vision. No more sugar-coating or justifying.
My name is Mariah, and gossip is my (current) plank. I’m so sorry if I have done it with you, around you, or (as much as I hate to say it) about you. “This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue” (James 3:7-8). I cannot tame my tongue and get rid of the plank, but Jesus can.
I’m off to let Jesus tame my tongue and fix my vision, but I will leave you with these questions…
Have you been sugar-coating your plank?
What have you been calling it?
What is it really?
You don’t have to comment the answers to these questions, but I encourage you to take some time and answer them with Jesus.
GO TIGERS