The other day I was talking to a friend on the phone and they were bragging about some accomplishment they had. To my chagrin, throughout the entire exchange, they failed to mention any of the people that had helped them along the way.
For some reason, this upset me. Not beat-up-my-roommate-upset but more like do-a-couple-extra-pushups-the-next-workout-upset. I thought about why. Pretty soon, I came to realize (with the help of other mentors in my life) that I was upset because I am the same way as my friend. I don’t acknowledge how lucky I am to have support. Whether internally or externally, I think that my accomplishments are solely mine and no one else’s. It was my own insecurity and fear that was angering me.
Here’s the lesson: when something (action, lack of action, attitude, etc.) triggers emotion in me, I ask myself if I am upset due to the “something” itself, or my fear of acting out that same “something” myself. It’s a great reality check, and often times, once I realize that my reaction is due to fear, the negative feelings go away.
A wise man once said “For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the plank in your own eye?”
All I’m saying is, check out yourself a little bit. Be honest. Think as clearly as possible. I am horrible at this, but the small improvement I’ve made lately has made a huge difference in the way I treat myself and others.
Michael
P.S. This quote was either Jesus or my boss at my last job, but I can’t remember off the top of my head.