I looked and immediately caught myself in a judgmental spiral. The individual had so many flaws! From dress, to attitude, to manners, to logic and content. The areas for improvement were endless! Even as I began to tabulate a list, thinking that maybe I should share it with the individual as an act of kindness, I saw a reflection of myself in the mirror.
Taking a long and honest look at oneself it not easy. If I was able to do this as an outsider, I am confident that my compiled list for someone I did not know well would have been a good fit for myself. The ease of critiquing others is correlated to the difficulty in being honest about myself.
Lesson reminders start with a foundation belief. We, you, me, anyone we might meet, are equal. There are no exceptions. We, every one of us, stand equal. While status, power, and financial strength may vary, in the values which define us, we are born and cut of the same cloth.
Reminders are outward and inward.
Outward, it a cautious warning. Not everyone agreed with the foundational belief of equality. In attitude and action, there are those who work to elevate and see themselves above another. It does not end there. Each reflects the enemy describe by the psalmist; “Stuffed with self-importance, they plot ways to trip me up, determined to bring me down. These crooks invent traps to catch me and do their best to incriminate me.” (Psalm 140.05)
Inward, one of my greatest challenges is to accept and see myself as Divinity does. I stand equal with anyone and everyone. What makes me priceless as a human being is the same things which make you priceless as a human being. It is hard to believe when we think we do not deserve the standing. It can be problematic to hold onto that belief when our actions do not reflect the best that we can be.
As I step beyond my critical view of my reflection, I found someone with my name to love.
