Lord, is it I?

When Jesus announced to his Apostles that one of them would betray him, they did not begin to accuse one another. Instead, they all began to ask him, "Lord, is it I?"

It is entirely too easy to see the faults in others while neglecting our own self-improvement (see Luke 6:41-42). If we never look inwards at ourselves, we miss opportunities to grow and become more like the disciples Christ wants us to become. We often have the unfortunate tendency to see in others the very shortcomings that we have in ourselves. It is also in our natures to deflect any perceived criticism onto others instead of seeking to learn from it. The remedy is a humble heart that is ready to be taught and corrected, and to seek first to correct ourselves before correcting others.

I'm not proud to admit it, but when I first had the idea for this entry, I was thinking that it was something I wished other people would take to heart more often. Then I realized my mistake, and I commit to do better! I invite everyone to do so along with me. My challenge to you is for one week, try to notice anytime you have a critical thought about another person or group of people, no matter how true or justified the thought may be or appear to be. Then ask, "Lord, is it I?" Humbly ask the Lord to help you identify whether the fault you see in others is in any way manifest in yourself.

The purpose of this exercise is not to ignore legitimate concerns about the behavior of others, nor to become more self-critical. Rather it is to remind ourselves to look inwards at least as often as we look outward. As we do so, we will become less quick to judge and more receptive to the still small voice.

As Precious in His Sight

In the middle of Jacob's sermon to his people, he rebuked them for their pride in thinking themselves better than those who were poorer or otherwise less fortunate than they. In the middle of his stinging words we encounter this phrase, which serves as a chastisement to the wicked, but also a comfort to those who may feel forgotten or cast out. Society may look at some with a critical eye; those who are not beautiful, rich, educated, or simply normal enough. But remember that God loves all His children equally. Every one of His children is precious to Him. We ought to remember the Golden Rule and treat them as such: the way we would want to be treated, and the way we know God would treat us.

This is my second Sour Peppers commission. If you would like a scripture or other inspirational quote illustrated similar to the one above, check out my commissions page.

Other People

This quote by Jean-Paul Sartre has been examined by those much more versed in philosophy than I. That said, it seems to me that it could have a number of interpretations. Perhaps we sometimes view other people as nothing more than annoyances and inconveniences, constantly getting in the way of what we are trying to accomplish. Or maybe it's that other people cause us to constantly fret about what they think of us, for without the judging gaze of other people, we would never feel shame for our actions.

Maybe there's some truth to these, but if so, I say we must also accept their opposites! Life's greatest joys cannot be experienced by ourselves. And it is often others who show us the good in ourselves that we cannot see. Without other people, there would be--could be--no heaven.

Let us not become so self-absorbed that we see others people only as sources of pain and anxiety. Strive to see the good in each person and in our interactions with them.

Looketh on the Heart

Judging another based on outward appearance can mean judging based on looks, but could also mean judging based on personality, habits, and even their actions. Think about the last time you met someone new. What assumptions did you make about that person based only on what you could see right in front of you? How did your impression of that person change after you got to know them and learned more about their story? It's natural to judge before knowing all the facts. But we should remember that the only perfect judge is God, and examine our thoughts more closely the next time we find ourselves passing judgement one of our brothers or sisters.