We gotta stop walking with our eyes on everyone else.

"If we had no faults, we should not take so much pleasure 
in noting those of others"
-Maxims

Perhaps, tis not only me who scrolls down news feeds on social media and finding articles that seem worthy of reading.  Truth be told, scores of writings provide knowledge we'd prolly never assimilate had it not been shared virtually. Not until WWW was it made readily available to everyone of-the-essense information other than current events which we can pick almost everywhere. One of which are those articles that discuss about personality concerns.

Just some days back when I was suffering from unbearable migraine attack that I got to bump into this writing on the subject of narcissism. And agree with me that if you have anyone in mind you strongly believe (or suspect) to have this condition, it will interest you to click the link and read through. You bet, I did. *wink*


Strangely, though, I found myself asking this: "how true are these facts about me than it is about them?" I was AGAIN convicted by my Counselor! At times, I wanna request my Counselor to be allowed my maleficent thoughts, but then get carried back to a light-bulb moment―I rather NOT be! Am all-the-time saved from the monster in me. Sweet!


As I was learning more about hints of what delineates a narcissist, for each points I asked myself if it describes me instead of whether it is describing someone I know. And I guess situations like this plainly exposes whether one is living in humility as expounded in the Word ― "In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves." [Philippians 2:3] ― Whether I am living up to the standard of God; let alone others be accountable to their own obedience OR disobedience to the Word. What matters is, am I obedient to it?


That was a moment I was truly tested ...when no one was watching. How will I take my thoughts captive to be obedient to the ways of Jesus? Would I excuse and use the validity of my argument based on the life testimony and behavior of someone I know OR would I simply allow myself be put right as my Counselor reminds me of Christ's code of behavior? The choice was mine. After all, I was alone scanning the article. I was left to my own decision. My Counselor wasn't forcing me with a gun pointed to my head, nah-uh! Twas simply a gentle reminder from a loving Father. *smiles*


Change starts from within, indeed. Conforming NOT to the ways of the world can only start when one strictly applies the teachings of Jesus, rather than making excuses as to why one's rationalization is warranted. I can go about all the defensible justifications I can think of just to prove I am far better than whoever that person I am labeling a narcissist all-I-want, but the truth speaks volume―I am one. I don't have to fall into any of the points described to be one, the fact that I consider myself highly than I ought to, I am one. And if even after being admonished by my Counselor I continued judging and labeling anyone "that" then, I prove myself having such high self-esteem that I can't take the log off my eyes yet I insist on talking about the speck in another's eyes (yes, even just in my head).


One way to train ourselves to be humble is to gauge our own intents and motives. Are we comparing ourselves to others? Are we trying to prove we're better than anyone? Are we asserting that our opinion is far well-grounded than everyone else's? The Bible tells us that we are to run our own individual race. We are responsible and accountable to our own acts. And we are not going to be compared to the performances of everyone else around. God will be judging us individually separate from the persons next to us. [Read Romans 2:6 and 2 Corinthians 5:10] So, enough of pointing at the imperfections of whoever and focus on the countless blemishes in us.


In times when we're led to a situation that cues us to deduce anyone to anything...to judge them...let's pause and remember this: "You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God." [Romans 14:10 TLB]


One thing more, we are to guard ourselves with our use of the social media. Almost everything there subtly tempts us to compare, to envy, to covet, to criticize, and a lot more. We are to protect ourselves from being corrupted by the world, which is by the way, what God considers as pure religion [James 1:27].