His Glory My Joy, a blog of Author Luana Ehrlich

On a visit to Sam’s Club the other day, I got mildly irritated—not angry or mad—just irritated.

It happened as I came into the produce section and went by an area of the store where a Sam’s Club worker was putting oranges through a machine to make freshly squeezed orange juice.

I usually enjoy the tangy fragrance as I go through the aisles selecting the produce I need, but today, I was assaulted by a high-pitched noise coming from the machinery that automatically squeezes the oranges to produce the juice.

As I passed other customers, they gave me a smile, so I felt sure they were as irritated as I was that someone in management hadn’t shut the machine down.

The noise seemed to be getting worse as I hurried to make my selections and move out of the area, and for a brief moment, I considered saying something to the person restocking the apples.

Instead, I quickly made my way over to the dairy section.

But, despite the fact I’d moved several feet away, I could still hear the high-pitched squeaking.

Suddenly, it dawned on me.

I was the one causing the irritating noise.

Or rather, as I made my way around the store, the squeaky wheels on my cart were responsible for the awful racket.

While I’d been blaming everyone else for my discomfort, I was responsible for it all along.

I immediately found myself smiling, and yes, I saw a lesson in it as well.

The fact that I was looking somewhere else for the source of my irritation reminded me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:3-5: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? … First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

It was a reminder that before blaming someone else for whatever is bothering me, I should examine myself first.

Once I’ve looked inward, I may not need to look outward.

James 1: 14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”