I did my best
Though it wasn’t good enough
But I tried, I did what I could
And my neighbors? Some neighbors!
All they do is sit in judgment
Of others like me who are trying
And all the ever see
Either is, all we didn’t do
Or what we didn’t do well:
Like they are exempt from doing
What we all were called to do:
Before you point and paint
What “they” aren’t doing
Show by what you’ve done
Before you scream and tell
What “they” aren’t doing well
Show how well you’ve done it.

Awareness is at its peak, so also is intolerance and the worldwide web continuously scrapes the scum and plasters them on our faces. We are flooded on a daily basis by how terrible the world is turning, how horrible human beings are, how despicable our neighbors can be, and how insufferable everything is now becoming. Everywhere you turn, it is news about “What ‘they’ should do,” “What ‘they’ are not doing,” and “What ‘they’ have never done well.” Ignorantly, some of us have played into the hands and tunes of manipulators who twist and turn to serve their conceited goals. Willingly or unconsciously, many of us are becoming known for churning pessimism, subtly metamorphosing and maturing into full blown joy killers, professional fault finders,  detractors who are increasingly blind to the good while shining the light on the bad; misanthropists who hate others for hating others – can you imagine that vicious circle?

My mum would say that whenever we point a finger at another, the remaining four point right back at us. It is impossible to paint others black and remain untainted; to condemn others and stand justified at the same time; to repeatedly hit at a presumed offender without crossing the line of offense or abuse. History, if not life has taught, that it is hard to not be affected by what you continuously project, and not be consumed by whatever overtakes your focus. That brings us to a critical question: what is your focus in life? To be the best person you can be or to find and expose those who are not what you think they should be? Who made you the judge? What entitled you to that position? And what makes you so convinced you are in the right?

Let’s be sincere with one another: concerning the things we think that “they” are not doing or not doing well, what are we doing in the same regard? You who say people are mean, how many times do you go out of your way to be kind? You who call others selfish, how many people have been touched by your compassion? How many lives have you helped? With the little that you have, how much have you done in that circle that you are condemning others? My dad always said that you test a fertile land with just one seed. You don’t need any additional position or possession that you don’t currently own to do what you know is right. And if you know it is right, how much of it do you personally do? And if other are not doing it, how much has that motivated you to do more of what you know is right?

He who knows what is right and does not do it (only talks and criticizes about it) to him it is sin. Same can be translated as he who knows what others should do and does not do his own part first is as wrong as those he condemns. He who cannot see the log in his eyes is worse than the neighbor he debases for parading the hood with speck in his eyes. By painting the failure of others, we fail to realize that we are turned poltroons by our own choices and our own voices of doom and gloom.

Quit broadcasting what they are doing wrong, it is not helping anybody or the situation – tell us all about what you are doing to make up in your own little way. Open your eyes, see and tell what those around you are doing to help which can be easily missed because it is not in your line of focus. It is time to change position so we can see and speak some good into this broken world that won’t get better by preposterous inundation.

I say this because many of us are sincerely disgusted and have been swept away by the subtlety of the things we don’t like about those we don’t like to the point that it is turning us into the very image we detest and denounce. This is a wake up call. A word is enough for the wise.

Glory!