If we look long enough and hard enough, we can find any statement or action by someone that we can find fault with, we can do this because everybody is human. Because it is so easy to find fault, we may think that we know everything we need to know about an individual as we judge them harshly. The reality, however, is that we are like the character Sergeant Schultz from the television comedy series Hogan's Heroes, "We know nothing, nothing." We do not know what we do not know. We cannot see into the hearts and minds of those we criticize. Hidden from our view are the trials and heartaches others are dealing with. We do not know the private hell people are experiencing.
King David once compared the tongue with a sharp sword. Much later someone said that the pen was mightier than the sword. Many in the world today may yet identify with David, feeling themselves to be the victims of those who use their tongues (or their keyboards) as sharp swords. The misuse of our tongues seems to add intrigue and destruction as the media and private persons indulge in this pastime. In today's vernacular this activity is called bashing.
Some think the only way to get even, to get advantage, or to win is to bash people. Often times character and reputation and almost always self-esteem are destroyed under the hammer of this vicious practice. How far adrift we have allowed ourselves to go from the simple proverb 'If you can't say something good about someone or something, don't say anything' to where we now are often involved in the bash business.
We all have weaknesses and challenges, and we don't need someone to point our failings out to us as we are probably already fully cognizant of where we are falling short. What we really need are people who support us, who have patience with us, who believe in us, and who believe we are trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?
Instead of being bashers, we should be nurturers; people who build rather than destroy. We should have understanding and forgiving hearts, and look for the best in people. We should leave people better than we found them. We should be fair with our competitors, whether in business, athletics, politics, on the Internet, or elsewhere. We should not try to "win" by intimidation or by undermining someone's character. We should lend a hand to those who are frightened, lonely, or burdened.