Looking within Ourselves

We sometimes take so much interest in fixing other people’s problems and even in trying to solve the world’s problems. However, the truth to the matter is that we cannot change anyone except ourselves. We may want so much for someone to change their wayward ways, but we can’t change it for them. I think we can see this most clearly with parents and their children who may have gone down a not so good path or siblings who can see the same. Even though we cannot change for them, what we can do is be that role model for them. To do this we must take a good look at ourselves.

We can’t see clearly when there’s a splinter in our eyes. But the harder part is that sometimes we can’t even see the splinters. Do we know their there but choose to ignore them? Do we simply keep putting eye drops in to ease the pain, but not really doing anything about them? It’s time to remove those splinters. We can’t remove them alone. Even if we try to use the mirror it will be difficult. That’s is why we need God’s grace. God can help us remove those splinters. But we need to want Him to and we need to ask Him to. So, if we really want to change the world, end violence within our communities, and promote peace and love, the answer is not to yell and scream, but to sit in the silence, asking the Father for the graces we need to be honest with ourselves and allow the fruit of that to move us to conversion. Others will come to change if we first look within ourselves. By looking within ourselves, asking God for the graces we need, believing that we are loved, and living our lives knowing that, peace will come – first within our hearts, second to others, and finally to the ends of the earth.