DO YOU?

As the year comes to a close, I've seen more than a handful of comments about the way people intend to radically change their lives. Most of them involve getting rid of some of the people with whom they associate ( as if people are just disposable like that). People are talking about clearing their cell phone and email contact lists; blocking and deleting on social networking sites. Maybe the real task should be examining their OWN brains to determine how people, who are suddenly so undesirable, disgusting, draining, and dispensable NOW, got into their lives in the first place.

Is it possible that the problem is in the mirror, and it's not a job for Windex? God knows, sometimes it IS, but it can't ALWAYS be the infamous THEM. Sometimes, it's straight up YOU, and the time designated for fixing and arranging, dismissing, reorganizing and correcting should be spent alone with oneself. One must own one's own part in every situation. In every aspect of your life, the common denominator is YOU. You can't fix or change other people, but you darn sure can take a good, honest look at yourself, your choices, your decisions, your behavior, your words---unless that's just too difficult a thing to bear. Is it easier to put the blame on everybody else than to admit your schemes failed, your secrets and lies were exposed, your stories didn't add up, your judgment was flawed, your discernment was weak, you talked more than you listened, you rejected wisdom, and you have some jacked-up stuff going on in yourself, too? Failing to look inward means the finger pointing, blaming, puffed-up attitude, selfishness, and denial will simply continue...Why not give "do you" a new, less arrogant, self-centered connotation, and objectively work on yourself. Acknowledge, and tackle your own fixable issues as diligently as you criticize, ridicule and condemn others. Be true to yourself in those less attractive areas that you think no one sees. Address those areas that people talk about when you're not in the room, but are too intimidated or afraid to bring to your attention. Sincerely ask God to show you yourself. It might cause you to look at others in a different, more understanding, and forgiving light when you seriously consider how God may be--no--how God IS looking at you.