It's nice to be able to communicate with you all once again because lately, we're i'm currently situated, getting access to the internet seems a luxury. But thank God that phase appears to be a thing of the past...hopefully.
I'm inspired to write today - now - because something just recently happened (about a few minutes ago) that bothers me. It probably shouldn't, but it does and you'll find out what it is soon enough. Promise.
Now, do you know how easy it is to point the finger? How it often is the most natural thing on earth for us to blame, accuse, judge and criticize others? How we can sometimes consider a person's character, nature, habits, opinions, personality and maybe even looks, deficient in some way?
Is that a nod I see? I'll bet.
Being Mr., Mrs. or Miss right tends to be very convenient (and i'm not talking about the romantic/spousal connotation for which that phrase is oft used). It's just absolutely lovely to be the expert on everything and everyone; what with our being entirely void of all error, prone to no mistake and having no existing evidence of wrong judgement, isn't it?
Well, it should be!
I mean, if I don't absolutely, positively consider myself - beyond all reasonable doubt - the epitome of 'rightness' in every circumstance imaginable, and if i don't revel in the boost it gives to my ego and psyche when i imagine myself superior to every other individual, i don't see why i would make a career of fault finding or flaw revealing. I don't see why at all.
But you see, that's what many of us have become. We set oursleves up as an institution of one, placing the fundamental responsibility of finding out what's wrong with every body else on our heads and refusing to condone any such impertinent insinuation linking a fault to our persons. Better yet, the thought that maybe the people we so joyously castigate - first mentally then verbally - have numerous praiseworthy traits in their possession than we are letting on, is too ludicrous for us to consider even momentarily. They are bad, they are wrong, they are flawed, and that's all there is to it.
Really?
It might interest you to know how close i was to becoming this particular breed of people. I think i had already become them to be sincere. For a long time, nothing sounded as good to me as the sound of my own voice. I could talk forever, whether it was helpful or not. If there was an error to be found, i became google. I had everything i already considered a minus in a person, tidily tucked away in my head and all that was required to prompt the search for where to categorize your shortcoming(s) was simply a tiny mistake and then >> Boo-ya! I came alive. Reeling off corrections, rebukes, castigations and the like, faster than i could draw in oxygen. It was exhilarating. Having the ability and eloquence to cut people down and prove to them just how wrong they were and how (obviously) right i was with little or no heed to moderation was what i prided myself in.
That me, was a terrible person.
I knew, God knew and so did my victims; but for some reason it was tough letting it go. You know, old habits dying hard and all that. Still though, i had to let Him help me. I was scarring too many people ceaselessly without being fully aware of the depth of wickedness i was displaying. I just didn't know! I mean, i know i just made it sound like i was just some kind of verbal-tyrant who derived pleasure from the pain of others but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I know this might surprise you, but I'D THOUGHT I WAS HELPING THEM!
I could swear i had.
I care and they're missing it so i have to intervene. That's all this is to me. I don't want them making that mistake again, i don't want them behaving like that or talking like this because i know it is bad. I know better so they should too. My opinion of acceptable, proper and appealing just has to be theirs' as well. Why? Because my opinion is right! It really is, and i have to convince them.
See the problem with my mentality? First of all, it was exceedingly selfish. Count all the 'I's and 'Me's and 'My's there were present in my thoughts for proof. Isn't it sickening? Nowhere was i taking into consideration how different people are, at no point in time was i considering the possibility that their slip might have been a deviation from their nature(s); that there may be some reason for doing what they did or acting as they did. There was hardly any empathy involved - there was none involved, period. I had set my principles as the standard. And all that liveth were to internalize them.
No wonder i was ineffective, no wonder i was despised. I couldn't understand for the life of me why they refused to see through my eyes. I was pained and convinced they just were too poor in coming to terms with their flaws. There i was, trying to help and save them from themselves and all i got was spite. They were all painting me in a bad light when i was the only 'good guy' - or so i'd thought.
I had missed the point. Terribly.
Nobody cared if my concerns were genuine nor if my motives were right. Nobody cared if my rebuke was necessary or if my counsel was sound (though, looking back, i'm pretty sure it wasn't mostly). My approach was messed up. As was my delivery, style and possibly even content.
But you know my biggest mistake? I was entirley focused on aligning everyone's thinking pattern to mine...not to God's.
You don't get wronger than that.
To be continued...
P.s: you all will not believe what prompted all of this.
xxx, Kwiksie.
This is nice, although It got me sleepy at the beginning...
ReplyDeleteplus the prints are kind of faint.. (y) nice one
Lol. I'm glad it's just at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteYeah, i think it may be the font and color choice. I use 'Times' now though...hopefully it'll help.
Glad you could stop by, your comment is appreciated. :)