June 16, 2013

When we look into a mirror, we expect to see a reflection of ourselves, and this is indeed what we see.  When we look into the eyes of someone else and make a judgment about them, we are looking into a spiritual mirror.  What we see in others is a reflection of our own values and nature.  When we perceive negativity and faults in another, these same tendencies are bubbling within ourselves.  When we see goodness in another, we are reflecting some of the goodness within ourselves.  Psychologists call this "projection."

 

Sounds right?  Maybe.  Sometimes we want to debate this.  How do we discern fair assessment from our personality projections?  How do we serve on a jury?  How does a teacher grade papers?  Such discernments are not easy.  All this, we will consider this coming Sunday.  Read thoughtfully the texts for Sunday: 2 Samuel 11:26-27, 12:1-10,13 and Matthew 7:1-5.