Glass Houses and Fishbowls

Happy June! Since June is here, I can share my column for our monthly church newsletter. And bonus, you get pictures – which I didn't share in the newsletter. And to be clear, I love my neighbors. I'm not mad. Was under a deadline and it was a convenient subject matter!

Glass Houses and Fishbowls

For the past 20 years, we’ve lived in seclusion at the end of a subdivision outside of town. And by “seclusion,” I just mean we had a creek and woods behind us, trees between our property and the neighbor on the right, an undeveloped wooded lot to the left, and pine trees lining the yard across the street. 

Seclusion. Privacy. Nice. 

Then one recent day, we heard truck gears grinding and chainsaws buzzing. We looked out and saw professional tree-removal crews clearing that lot. Of every. Single. Tree. Not one left to buffer us and the new lot owners planning to build a house! The next week, the neighbors across the street caught the bug and had their line of Robyn’s privacy pines cut down. 

Suddenly, I feel like we’re living in a fishbowl! Like we’re exposed. They can see everything we’re doing. Not that we have anything to hide, of course.  

It quickly reminded me of the proverb: People who live in glass houses (or fishbowls) shouldn't throw stones. Which is pretty much inspired by the gospel lesson where Jesus reminded those set to stone a woman for adultery that only the person who has not sinned can throw a stone at her.

Which pretty much inspires my 2022 version: Don’t be so judgy!

New flash: All of us have sinned and fallen short of perfection. But it’s remarkable – and sad at the same time – how self-righteous and judgmental we can be. I saw a man in town this week holding up a cardboard sign asking for money for food. Was my first instinct to think “I wonder how he fell on hard times. Maybe I can help him”? Or was it more like “He looks pretty sketchy. If I give him money, would he even use it for food?”

We’re all guilty of thinking the latter. But it doesn’t mean we’re lost causes. 

God reminds us to show compassion for others because he loves us without fail. No matter what He glimpses of our attitudes and actions in our hearts and glass houses.  

So, if you’re driving around my bare neighborhood, keep your stones in your pockets. We’re all swimming in this fishbowl together. And by the grace of God, there’s room for more.

_______

And here's some before and after pictures. 

Before: Wooded empty lot to our south.

After: Cleared lot.

Before: Tree-lined lot across the road.

After: Hello, neighbors!

P.S. Mr. Deck Chair says I'm going to have to be a bit more conservatively dressed from here on out. Lord knows I am not going to sit out back near the snake pit just for the sake of privacy!