SEEING OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US

In my early childhood years I was then a bit timid, but since I've reached my sixtieth year, it is now that I realize that timidity is not what I'm lacking in now. Because I could not endure the very thought of being the object of jest or criticism, my tendency then was leading me to being a perfectionist; which later, it came to me, that as a goal, I was never going to attain. But early in my youth, a self-righteousness feeling was beginning to rear its' ugly head. It has taken me too many years to realize that 'maturity-in-Christ' and being perfectly correct on every point of doctrine, is not the same thing!

The human ego allows us to think highly of ourselves, while we have a few imperfections that we seem to not see in ourselves. Mainly our pride keeps the mirror blurred to our seeing ourselves as we are and not as we think we are! In this process of maturing physically, as well as spiritually, we soon come to realize that we are not always right on everything. We must learn to accept the fact, that others see us clearer than we care to admit. It has been said that, "practice makes perfect", but that's not quite true, "practice makes improvement", not perfection!

As I complete each essay that I have been compiling for some twenty years, I am constantly revising my words as I review them from time to time. Could it be that I made that many mistakes way back then.... maybe, but It just also could be that I've learned better and now have a slight different view and/or position on some vital issues of importance. As I ask some friends to read what I've written before putting it to print, it seems to come back to me all red marked with stuff' that needs to be modified and boo-boos corrected. It's like that in all aspects of life.... WE ARE NOT YET PERFECT.... Our need to realize that we can soften our dogmatic declarations, put an end to our prideful posturing and wash the arrogance from our faces. Others can see our dirty faces, but we fail to see it ourselves, because we don't look into the mirror of God's Word.

Our brother Paul punctures our ego, when he says.... "If any one of you imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know."(1-Cor 8:2). The more presumptuously pious we act, the more obvious others see right through us.... And as the wise ole' owl had this to say, "It is much more healthier for us to laugh at ourselves, and then change accordingly.... rather than become arrogant, defensive and smug."

"OH, IF ONLY WE COULD SEE OURSELVES, AS OTHERS SEE US!"

Yours for Truth and Freedom...... Horace Hooper