I woke up this morning hearing the proverb, “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” I have not heard that phrase in such a long time and pondered its meaning and how it applies to my life.
This proverb reminds me to be aware of my own faults before criticizing others. So, I must ask myself the question, why is it so easy seeing the faults of others and seldom seeing my own? Sometimes it is as if I have blinders on when looking at the woman in the mirror. I know that many of you reading this can identify with what I am saying, even if you refuse to admit it. I am convinced that many are becoming less and less transparent because we live in glass houses and don’t want anyone looking in our windows! Let’s look at what it means to be transparent, shall we?
Transparency is the quality of allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be seen distinctly. That means that my life is to be an open book. I live in a glass house. This means that the gift of life that I have been given will be open to scrutiny. It means that people will look at me closely. They will look to see if my life matches what I proclaim. It means that they will investigate, examine, and observe me. Does this mean because I know this, that I strive for perfection? Absolutely not! My life is not my own. My dependence is upon the Gift Giver and not the gift!
There are positive things that can come from allowing transparency to be cultivated in our lives. The most important thing to remember is that transparency is something to be desired. Why? When we are transparent, we become honest, and honesty leads to trustworthiness.
So, the next time I stand with a brick in my hand to throw it at someone else, I pray I remember I could be “the pot calling the kettle black!”