Perhaps you should look in the mirror

There is a saying that what drives you crazy about someone else, is likely something you yourself do! "No way" you say? Test it out this week. When your roommate or spouse or mother or kids do that thing - you know - the thing that makes you want to scream - stop and ask yourself if there is any possibility that you do the same thing. (If you simply can't be honest with yourself, ask your mother.)

This hit home for me last weekend. One of the above mentioned people did something that made me cringe. My first thought was to make sure that person knew how awful it was, but later, as I was venting to another one of the above mentioned people, a terrible feeling came over me. That was because, all of a sudden, I got a very clear picture of what I look like when I do the very same thing.

Could that be why the Bible says:

"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Luke 6:42 (also see Matthew 7:5)

A hypocrite? That's actually what I was thinking about the other person. Ouch!  Oh LORD God, I pray:

"See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:24