I am a hypocrite.

If your first response is to tell me I am not, just pause to hear me out.

A couple of years ago God started showing me that as soon as I pass judgement on someone, within 24 hours or so He shows me how I am doing the same thing in a different way.

For example, a couple of years ago I told Matt to clean his room. Later on when I went to check on how he was doing his room was still messy but he had two cardboard rectangles he was using as skis. I was upset & told him to stop playing & to clean his room. As soon as I walked downstairs my eyes were opened to see the space I was working in was a mess, but I was sitting there writing, my form of “playing.”

This happens over & over again including this weekend. Yesterday I was with my family & my sister was getting frustrated with our kids for leaving half opened seltzer cans. I told her it wasn’t a big deal & to not get so frustrated about it. Well, when I arrived home last night we were eating in the kitchen & I glanced over at the coffee pot & saw a bunch of coffee left over. I asked Stephen why he makes so much if he isn’t going to drink it all. As soon as I the words flowed from my mouth I laughed & said, “oh my gosh I am my sister!” Gavin nodded in agreement.

I share this with you today because we all at times can pass judgement on someone else, yet as God is showing me, we often do something similar in a different way.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take the log out of our own eye before pointing out the speck in someone else’s (Luke 6:42). I will say it’s not easy to start seeing ourselves in this light yet it gives us more grace and compassion for others which ends up bridging hearts more than dividing them.

So in both these situations, & in the many others I have experienced, I have humbled myself to go back to apologize and let the people know, including Matt and my sister, how we are more similar than different - as we all are.

With love and hope,

Shawn