It's Your Fault

It's funny how kids are seemingly blind at their own bad behavior but very observant of others'. I couldn't tell you how many times a day Corban and Marissa get into squabbles about sharing toys or get a stern talking to (if not worse) for being unkind/downright mean to each other. Yet somehow they rarely seem to acknowledge that they were in the wrong, or if they do, they complain that it's too hard to be nice.
Today, however, it was interesting to watch them at a playground nearby. There was a little girl, Abigail, probably a little older than Marissa, playing at a sand table with a plastic cup. A 4 year old boy Evan (who was MUCH smaller than Corban) who knew her was playing nearby, chatting with Corban. He approached Abigail and sweetly asked if he could use her cup to play when she was finished. She yelled "NO!" and pushed him vigorously away. This continued for a couple of minutes, with the occasional holler from Evan's mom several yards away for him to leave Abigail alone. Corban was continuing to play but stole glances over at the argument, while Marissa stopped all she was doing and stared. After awhile, Marissa piped up to Abigail in a soft voice, "Be nice, okay?" Abigail ignored her and kept shoving Evan away. After they finally moved away, Corban added, "She wasn't sharing, Mom. She wasn't being nice at all".
Well, whaddya know. My kids DO know what ugly behavior is, they just don't want to admit it when they are the offenders. Now that I think about it, that's not unlike most adults I know. It's much easier to criticize the mistakes of others than to admit our own. Hmmm...that's a good reminder to reflect on Matthew 7:2-4 (New King James Version):

2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?