Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment (Ro 12:3  NIV).

The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice (Pr 12:15 NIV).

Harvest time

It’s harvest time and farmers are bringing out their huge threshing machines to reap the ripened grain.   One company makes and markets combines for farmers called Gleaners.  I remember that brand name from my youth on the farm.  Now that is a great name for a harvester.   The last thing the farmer wants is to leave grain in the field, either because the combine failed to cut it or because it was blown through the machine without being properly threshed.  The name Gleaner just seems to say – we get every last grain possible.  

I’ve been pondering gleaning

Lately I’ve been pondering the idea of gleaning.   I think this word describes part of my philosophy of life.   And I highly recommend it to others.   It runs counter cultural to what is becoming popular today – being a rabid critic.

What is a “gleaner?”

The name, gleaner, comes from a millennia old practice which was made into a household term by the love story of Ruth in the Bible book that bears her name.   In ancient times, gleaning grain left behind by manual harvesting methods was a way that the poor kept from starving.  Poor folks would walk through the fields, pick the good grain that the harvesters missed and take it home for food.  Comparatively wealthy landowners like Boaz would intentionally leave some edges unreaped partly out of compassion for the poor.  So Ruth, a poor widow was gleaning in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy and eligible landowner when he noticed her. 

 In modern times, the verb, “to glean,” means “to obtain information in small amounts over a period of time” (Encarta Dictionary).   The best gleaners are alert to learn from unlikely sources.  They gain perspective and information also from the words and writings of those with whom disagree.  They sift for gold even in the words of their opponents.  Their minds are especially fertilized as they delve into areas unrelated to their normal spheres.    Being a good filer adds to the power of gleaning as more information is available later.   However, it is the attitude that is foundational. 

I would like to suggest that many people in our day would be better served if they would develop a “gleaner” attitude rather than the mentality of a critic.    A gleaner must start in humility.  The assumption is that I have much to learn and I can learn something from nearly everyone.  In adopting a gleaning posture, we set our brains to accumulate perspectives, insights and knowledge.     

Contrast a gleaner and a critic

Critics, on the other hand, start from an assumption of superiority.   They assume they know the story, have the information, and are qualified to judge others.  Often, I find it is a habitual attitude that has very little relationship to any acquired expertise in the area being criticized.   But it occurred to me that the critic also gains nothing in the effort.  In fact, they frequently cut themselves off from gleaning .  The proverbial picture of a critic as throwing stones speaks of someone who is divesting of his assets (stones) rather than gaining as a gleaner does.   Emotionally speaking, the critic’s main return is an affirmation of negative feeling, not exactly a positive return.

Two people read the same book.   One finds tidbits that are interesting and helpful; she jots the quotes down and maybe even files them for later use.  Another person reads the same book.  He notes areas in which he disagrees with the author or where the author wrote poorly.   His impression of the book is mostly of these negative spots and he dismisses the read as a waste.   The first reader is a gleaner, the second a critic.  Who is richer in the end?    Take a camping vacation for example; one spouse notes the beautiful stars at night, the birds singing behind the tent, the freshness of the breeze, the smell of morning coffee brewed outside.   The other concentrates on mosquitoes, mud, sand in the tent, and not having a shower for two days.  Who is richer in spirit when vacation is over?  Two people go to church.   One noticed that the praise leader sings off key, the songs are old, the carpet frayed, and the service is running late.  The other hears a testimony of how God answered prayer, he felt a peace during the extended moments of quiet prayer and sensed God nudging him to put the third point of the pastor’s message into practice in his own life.   How could these two have been in the same service?   One is a critic.  One is a gleaner. 

Glean not grumble!

All of us may exhibit a critical spirit occasionally.  It is one of the not-so-subtle and more hidden ways we deal with our anger.   But to make criticism a habit is especially stressful and counterproductive.   Paul specifically warns us against being critical of other Christians, “Let’s stop criticizing each other” (Ro 14:13 from GOD’S WORD Translation Copyright © 1995).    So I pray that God keeps me listening and learning, gathering and gaining new knowledge and insights, and growing wiser because of it.  For me it’s glean – not grumble!  And I pray the same for you.