One of my favorite things about computers is multi-tasking. Multi-tasking means I can type this column, check my email, work on the church web page, and layout this week’s block in the church directory all at once.

But multi-tasking is not a new thing; it certainly didn’t just come along with the advent of computers. In fact, Christians, have been multi-tasking for years, even centuries.

Christians can, at precisely the same moment in time, both grovel before God about what miserable sinners we are, and look down our noses at others. Talk about talent! Without pausing for breath, the same Christian can tell you what a terrible person he is and explain to you why so-and-so is worse. Ignoring the irony, a Christian can lament how unworthy she is to be in the family of God, and at the same time give thanks to God for those she doesn’t want in that same family.

Christians aren’t the only ones who do this. We do not have a monopoly on oxymoronic mindsets. Christians are the ones about whom I am concerned. Our Lord taught us better.
The sin of those who built the tower of Babel was in acting on their misguided perception that they could get to God if they could only build a tower high enough.

We don’t build such towers these days, but too many Christians are more than willing to step on, climb over, and shove out of the way others in the name of “being close to God.” When we put others down, we are not drawing ourselves closer to God. When we criticize and condemn others or when we thank God that we are better or better off than others or when we climb on our spiritual high horse we turn away from God. If we could see clearly at those moments, we would find that our Lord and Savior is down among those on whom we are stepping.