“The greatest of faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none.” ~ Carlyle
Give me a name, any name, and I most likely will be able to make a list of the things I think that person needs to do in order to be better. It would be a no-brainer. I think we all feel the same way. It is so easy to focus the “fault spotlight” on others. However, when asked to turn that light inward? How easy is it to do? How willing are we to try it? I would venture to say not very willing at all.
The fact is that our human nature, tainted by sin, abhors looking within. We do not want to consider the need to change anything about ourselves. We do not want to consider that there could be anything wrong with ourselves. We are perfect, are we not? “It is everybody else that has a problem or an issue.” That is what we say to ourselves and, in order to prove it, we look at others and immediately see their faults. The more faults we identify, the better we feel about ourselves.
Even if we find a lot of fault or a huge fault in others, the fault we find may be insignificant compared to our own flaws. That was the basis of Jesus’ talk, one time, about taking the plank out of our own eye before trying to remove the speck from another’s eye.
If we want to be strong, though, we must be able to have insight into our own weakness. The strongest people that I ever knew, the greatest leaders that I ever met, all had the ability to target their own weaknesses, admit to their flaws, and execute a plan to correct themselves.
God knows we are flawed. He knows what original sin has done to our human nature. He knows that we often do not think about the fact that He has given us the ability to overcome those faults by the virtue of His Incarnation. But, by becoming one of us and dying on the cross for us, He gave us all that we need to reject what makes us weak and embrace what makes us more like Him.
Do not be afraid to turn the spotlight inward. Insight is good for all of us.
FAITH ACTION: Make an honest self-inventory today, asking God to point out the areas you need to improve.