Why does the World Despise Weaknesses?

One day I was heavy into my thoughts focusing on someone who, (let me be honest,) was a thorn in my side. My thoughts were extremely negative, and this happen to be a particular season in my life in which I felt I was always being chastened.

In fact, I felt as if my burdens were so heavy that I began to look around me and wonder if others were (being chastened) over every little thing as I appeared to be.

Thus, I began searching others I knew for (signs of spanking) and when I didn't see any I became confused. I know you're thinking- "How do you know they weren't spanked." Trust me, if you are being chastened in the spirit, which is attacking you in your area of conscience, you will eventually change in this area.

Usually, it happens to be an area where the person was once in the dark about something but has been enlightened, thus change is required.

Well, as I looked and obsessively studied people I knew, who in my opinion were just as bad or worse than me, I went from being unhappy to angry.

One day I was sitting on my front porch enjoying the sun and a voice in my heart asked me.

“Why did I not have mercy for weaknesses I saw in others yet expected compassion for my own?"

The voice went on to say "If I gave you what you deserve don't you know you would not be hearing these words." What got my attention was the fact that the true source of my anger had been revealed.

I felt as if I was getting what I didn't deserve but others were not getting what they deserved. It was a humbling experience as I had to be enlightened as to what was hidden in my heart...jealousy.

As with anything that pertains to my spiritual growth, meaning as I go from being in the dark in a certain area to the light, I began to study myself for truth. And, yes, I found that although I always wanted mercy one hundred percent of the time, I didn't always give it.

When I lost my job I suffered badly. In others opinion I may have suffered too long. I was saddened that some had little to no mercy for my pain. Of course some of them had never lost a job or it had been so long they had forgotten what it felt like.

Regardless of that fact, everyone could sympathize with how they would feel if their finances went from some to none so in that alone they could have shown mercy.

There were also times when I tried to show mercy but honestly I became weary if I found myself counseling in the same area over and over. I became annoyed at the self-pitying and wanted to yell- “ Move on!” but who was I to determine how long someone grieved over anything isn't it their pain and shouldn't they have the right to heal at their own pace. Why couldn't I just bear with the weakness of my brother or sister and show mercy.

The world is in horrible shape due to the lack of mercy.

The second commandment In the New Testament: "Love your neighbor as you would love yourself." Is simply saying: "Show mercy for you yourself would like mercy"

Here are some examples of self-centered people, who show no mercy, yet want mercy:

1. The killer who murders innocent people yet, when he/she stands in judgment has the nerve to plead to the court for mercy. Now did they show mercy for their victim's?- no, yet they want mercy.
2. The busybodies who gossips badly about others yet when they happen to overhear people gossiping about them have the nerve to be angry. Gossiping is basically slander. Slandering someones name, possibly their reputation, and painting them in a negative light to others.
3. The unfaithful partner who will cheat yet have the nerve to be heartbroken when they are cheated on. It doesn't matter if they didn't cheat on that particular person who cheated on them, most have cheated on someone who trusted them.
4. The thief who steals and then comes home one day to find their house has been burglarized. The thief probably even has the nerve to call the police!

I could go on and on about hypocrites, Oh, excuse me, the unmerciful who shows no mercy yet still wants mercy. In these heartbreaking scenarios we cry victim but haven't we also been the perpetrator?

• I am convinced that most people who possessively guard their possessions as if someone will steal them might also be thieves.
• People who are jealous and swear their partner is cheating, even without proof, does it because they may also be cheaters.
• There would be less judgement in the world if we recognized that what looks nasty in others might be what is hidden in ourselves and once we recognize it, it's not about the other person but about us. In other words, change is required.

Now, I make a conscious decision to be less self-centered everyday. Once I began to see myself as a little more "self-centered" than I cared to be, I didn't beat myself up, or feel shame, actually I laughed. Laughing is always what I do when the Lord shows me a character trait of mine that was hidden from me but brought into the light.

I wish that I could say that I went from being selfish to unselfish but that would be a lie. I am only human and being unselfish is something that must be practiced everyday. I do try to meditate on the scripture (Matthew: 7:3-5,) as to remind myself why it's important to bear my brothers and sisters weaknesses. If I were to remove the speck from my own eye I would surely see they are also bearing mine.