Tuesday Yammering

"Whatever I don't like in somebody else is something I don't like in myself. I'll go to the bank on that every time." O'Donnell Day 

While scanning facebook updates I recently came across this quote from a friend's status. After a few weeks of mulling it over I still can't get it out of my head.

I tend to be an upbeat yet highly critical person- not sure how the two can go hand in hand, but that is me in a nutshell. My critical nature has been switched on to hyper-sensitive mode while our family has been meeting all kinds of new people (potential friends?) and trying out new churches for the last couple months. 'Did he really just say that?', 'Did she actually wear that out in public?', 'Wow, is my kid bratty as theirs?' Exhausting. 

I guess it is time for a little introspection. I am learning that I need to be more gracious with people and extend to them the sensitivity that I would want for them to use with me. More than often the things about other people that make my skin crawl are just reflections of what I don't like about myself. I guess that the perfect example of this would be my driving skills. I know that I can be a lousy driver (you know just once in a while...) but I still suffer a moment of road rage when another driver is not on their A-game. Unless we want to live a miserable existence in this world it is about time that we accept people for their imperfections and start being more concerned about our own words and actions.

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own." Matthew 7:3 (The Message)