Stop the Bleeding

Every summer the Discovery channel broadcasts what they call “Shark Week.” It is a week-long extravaganza of programming focusing on this amazing super predator. One amazing fact is their sense of smell. The smell organs in the noses of some sharks are able to detect one droplet of blood in one million drops of sea water. This is the equivalent of a single drop of blood in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. This means that sharks can sense blood from several miles away. When they do detect blood, they rush to the scene hoping for a meal. 

Sadly, I have discovered humans can act like that too. When someone is being criticized for whatever reason, some choose to pile on. There is comfort in being included in the “in-crowd.” When people are dumping on a famous actor, politician, musician, or author, many others choose to join in. Like they were attracted by the smell of blood in the water. Remember, Good Friday? It had only been five days since Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd. On Friday, however, the cries of “Crucify Him!” were deafening.  

It distresses me to say but this includes Christians. The last people I thought would react in such a way. Nonetheless, that’s why Jesus preached about judging others during His sermon on the mount, “‘And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye’” (Matthew 7:3-5). He knows all humans (even Christians) have a tendency never to look in a mirror before they pronounce judgment upon someone else who may have messed up. Made a mistake. No, they smell blood in the water and pounce!

The Bible is clear, “…everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). But that is the difference. Christians have the Word of God, which says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are supposed to know better. Non-believer sharks are to be expected. Christian sharks? Not so much.

As believers, we know that “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8). We should be the first ones to look in the mirror before speaking or judging. It’s hard because we are hopelessly human. But we need to try.

If we smell blood in the water, before we say or think anything, first we need to remind ourselves that we have logs in our own eyes. Christians should respond like an EMT seeking to stop the bleeding. Offer help. Healing. Show mercy, grace, forgiveness. No shark week for us. Only Easter Sunday! Let whoever is bleeding know that “…God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).   

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