The other day I happened to be in a car with my friend and her two lovely kids; a boy and a girl. I think the boy is about nine and the girl, 7. The boy was narrating to me about how his baby sister is such a cry baby, and how she cries all the time just about anything. The girl kept trying to defend herself, claiming it was a lie. Then my friend, the mother, spoke up gently to the boy quoting Matthew 7:3 {Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? GNB}. The boy then got quiet.

It got me thinking, isn't it interesting how our flaws seem so magnified when they’re on others, and how quick we are to spot them? Some things that irritate us so much about someone else may be the same things that we do, and looking at these people we’re sort of looking in the mirror and not liking our reflection.

And isn't it also interesting how we go on and on about condemning the person for this very thing that is our flaw. We even try to stop the person from doing these things not realizing that the problem is in us first, and there’s no way we can give of what we don’t have. If say you are prone to telling lies (or so called half-truths), then guess what, you cannot impart/influence truth-telling to the person you've spotted the flaw in.  

We should be quick to examine ourselves and slow to judging others. No one is perfect! I am not saying that we condone evil around us, or excuse these flaws, No! As believers we should carry out an honest personal analysis and seek to work on ourselves, to work on our own salvation (Philippians 2:12), before we can seek to impart change on others. It is the things that we first learn and practice ourselves that we can teach to and impart on others.

You reflect what you constantly expose yourself to. 

We need to partner with God in making us who He created us to be; a true reflection of Him who created us in His very own image.

Before you can find fault in another person, look at yourself first and be the change you want to impart. The truth is, God works in us individually.

Let us seek to constantly expose ourselves to the light of His word, and be transformed to a true reflection of Him.

Here’s what you can pray for yourself on a daily basis:

‘Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’

{Psalms 139:23-24 AMP}