You know how they always say that love and hate are two very-closely-tied sides of the same coin; that the intense emotion of hate isn’t really that far from the intensity of strong love?

Critical disdain towards some one else is usually the other side of a coin we hold tightly, too.

“It takes one to know one”

is as true a proverb as it is a painful taunt on the childhood playground.

It turns out my strongest criticisms and antipathies toward certain people come most, if I am honest, from what I dislike about myself and see in them – that part of me most like that person.

Instead of dismissing my contempt as something that an offending person has brought on themselves, as if I can justify not liking them for whatever the reason,  I should be asking God to deliver me from the sin of pride and contempt that keeps me distanced from others because of, really, just hating my own humanness, and my weaknesses – my flesh & blood frailties, questioning down deep who God created me to be.  Thinking somehow He didn’t do right  by me.

At its’ very core, not loving some one else, or holding them suspiciously at-bay, or resenting everything some one else is-does-has-says-and-represents is probably anger at God.  I don’t trust Him.  God has let me down.

We are our own worst enemies,

so full of self-doubt and criticism

we can’t even

r-e-c-e-i-v-e

love when it is staring us in the face.

Let.  Yourself.  off. the. Hook.

Get love.  Then it will be there to give.