Decades ago I knew a man who was extremely jealous of his wife. He was certain she was seeing other men. He didn't have any proof, there wasn't anyone raising any questions about her and she was always at home with the children whenever he checked. But he could see unfaithfulness in her eyes. Oh, not in his wife's eyes, but in the eyes of whatever lover he happened to be with at the moment - every time he was unfaithful, he became more certain his wife could not be trusted.
One of the things I observed in three decades of preaching ministry was that, often times, when a preacher began to focus on a particular sin or, as we might say, "made a hobby of it," he would often be found later to have been caught up in an affair or addiction or dipping into the collection plate.
What happens is quite simple, we see things through the filter of our own soul. Until there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary, we tend to assign our own values to others. As Paul wrote, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure" (Titus 1:15).
It's hard to see the best in another when we know the worst lies within ourselves. It's nearly impossible to believe the other guy has good motives when ours are so bad. Liars think everyone lies, thieves suspect everyone of wanting to steal, and so it goes.
Jesus said that the eyes are the lamps of the body and if your eyes are healthy, we will be full of light, but if they are unhealthy, we will be full of darkness (cf. Matt 6:22, 23). What colors your perception of others? Do you tend to see the best or worst in them? Could you be seeing a reflection of yourself? Could you use a heart check?
Jus' Askn.
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