The Way We Lie Analysis

So too have pity on somebody who has wronged you must put yourself in their place and you empathize, you sympathize. Our natural inclination wants to do the opposite, to emphasize the differences between us and the wrongdoer. We no longer see them as a fellow human, a creation of God, but we look at them only in terms of their sin. Have you ever been to 6-flags and had one of the caricature drawings of yourself done. They take your worst feature - your big nose or forehead and they make it huge. That’s what we do. We begin to exaggerate the other’s sin while at the same time diminishing our own. See when someone lies to us and hurts us we see that person as a “liar’ - that’s who they are. But if we lie it’s because we have good reasons and its a complex situation. One of the things we don’t say is, “I lied because I’m just a liar!” We never say that. And the more different we see ourselves as different from them the other, the harder it is to forgive - the more self-righteous we are the more difficult it is. We really have a hard time forgiving when we say to ourselves “I would never do anything like that.” If it’s something we struggle with ourselves well then we can forgive but if it’s something we believe we’re righteous - then we don’t forgive.
Had you grown up and experienced the exact same thing that person has experienced - you would do the same thing, or you could. You’re capable of it if you had the chance. You can’t exclude yourself from the community of sinners, and you can’t exclude the person from the community of humans. You must have your heart go out. You must be moved by