Before I started typing this particular post, I went back and reread the post for yesterday. I had mentioned that I was really not comfortable about self-righteous people - this is incredibly accurate for me. I don't like the self-righteous. I cannot stand them. Unfortunately, when I thinking most candidly, I know that I can be very self-righteous. It is somewhat amusing to me that I can be more self-revelatory in this blog than in most other forms of communication. Some day, I will figure out why, but have no time to do that right now.
I don't know about you, but I can go on a rant (usually only to myself and not said out loud, although times, I do rant out loud) I really kick myself when I do this because here I am, ranting about the types of behavior that I am really against. Sigh. I criticize (silently to myself) the people who do things that sometimes I do. I don't like it when people are judgmental, but I find myself bring judgmental. I believe that Jesus was so clear when he told us to take the plank out of our eye and don't focus on the little gnat in our neighbor's eye. So many examples of being critical in others about the things that I end up doing.
Am I being too hard on myself or am I just being human? Or is asking the question this way giving me a pass, a possible "get out of jail" or even a "get out of hell" card.
I don't know if the above observations are helpful to any of the kind souls who read this blog. My hunch (coming from the school of "misery loves company") is that a lot of us fall into this trap of criticizing in others what we actually end up doing ourselves.
Here's my take on what to do about it - which I will try to apply to myself as well: Jim, lighten up. Don't take yourself so seriously. Laugh at yourself. Don't be so self-important. You foul up just like everyone else. Get over it. And, most importantly, be gentle with yourself - and be gentle with other people. This is what I will try to do - maybe it can helpful to you as well. I hope so. Jesus the Good Shepherd understood this. We need to be merciful not only to others, but also to ourselves. Sigh. Why is this so frustrating to get right?
TODAY'S GRATITUDE: When I'm self-aware, even if it is about things that I would rather not see in myself!