He Thinks He's So Special!

First off, let me explain why it’s been so long since I last posted on my blog. Basically I usually blog on my days off, and when there is down time at work. Well, the past week there have been no down times, or days off, hence no blogging. My schedule doesn’t permit me to blog after I get home because, I usually barely have enough time to prepare the following day’s meals and get to bed. I am out the door by 5 am and don’t get home usually until 8:30 pm. I think my wife would kill me if I spent the few precious minutes I have at home blogging.

Well, onto my topic for today.

“ I hate him! He always thinks he’s so much better than anyone else “! How many times have we heard this phrase, or even spoken it ourselves? This past week at work I heard this said about a fellow coworker. I was shocked to hear it actually. This is a person - I will call him John - that I actually have a lot of respect for, and was surprised to hear some speak so venomously of him.

John is a young married guy with two kids. He seems to be a great husband, and father. I admire his ability at work to always stay above the back biting, and politics. I’ve never heard him slam anybody else behind their back. He is faithful in his religion. Doesn’t drink, smoke, gamble, tell dirty jokes. At work he takes his job seriously, never caught snoozing on post, always scoring high on his firearms qualifications, and is dedicated to keeping himself in shape.

Is he perfect? No. Is he trying to be? I think he is doing his best, to be the best he can be. Back to the ugly phrase I began with, “ I hate him! He always thinks he’s so much better than anyone else “! I’ve decided, that in most instances this isn’t true at all. The person being criticized as pompous, or self-righteous doesn’t assume they are better than anyone. The next time you start to assume this about someone, stop and consider this: Maybe it’s not that they think they are better than you....maybe it’s that, deep down you KNOW they are better than you! They aren’t self-righteous, just ...righteous. Some people just can’t stand or abide this self realization, and their own petty jealousy comes blazing out in slanderous profusion.

I am reminded of an analogy I was once told about a bucket of crabs. I was told that if you fill a bucket with a certain kind of crab, they will all try their best to stand up and climb out of the bucket. Occasionally one will manage to hook a claw to the rim of the bucket, and begin to hoist itself out. At this moment all the other crabs will grab a hold of him and pull him back down into the bucket with the rest of them.

Isn’t this so true of humanity, and the way we treat each other. Especially one who may stand out and with their own piety reflect back to us our own downfalls and imperfections. Rather than hold up this individual as a shining example, we would rather pull them back down to our own level. We would rather not be reminded so painfully of our faults, and short comings.

Just some rambling for today.