Always Watching

When my grandson was just a toddler he had to wear glasses--tiny little eyeglasses.

It took a few months before he finally accepted them and stopped yanking them off his face.

Then one night, we were sitting on the couch looking at one of his books.

And I noticed his lenses were really smudged up.

So I took them off him.

Huffed a little breath on them for some moisture,

Pulled my soft shirt from my waistband, and cleaned them up.

The next day my daughter said, 

I don’t know what happened with Dylan.

He was finally doing so well with keeping his glasses on.

But today he keeps taking them off and blowing on them.

Little children are the true masters of learning from example.

They’re always watching and copying.

Now they even give them tiny eyeglasses so they can watch more closely.

We’re all teachers and role models in some ways.

Even when we’re unaware that someone might be taking a lesson from us.

In some cases we’re consciously acting in a role where we should expect it –

Like: parent, teacher, boss, civic or religious leader, sports hero, rock star …

In other cases, we’re just ordinary people doing our thing.

And we might be surprised to find that someone else actually thinks we’re worth copying.

Or maybe they just view us a one more proof that “everybody else is doing it”.

Maybe we’re that person cutting up the breakdown lane to get ahead in a traffic jam.

Or not shoveling our sidewalk after the snowstorm.

Or dangerously jaywalking.

Or not bothering to vote on election day.

Or maybe we’re that person going to Mass every Sunday (maybe even every day.)

Or picking up litter on the street and tossing it into the trashcan.

Or helping someone in need.

Maybe each of us is both those people.

Sometimes setting good examples, other times setting bad examples.

In big and small matters alike.

And sometimes we’re that third person too.

The one who’s watching and following the example set by others.

We never lose that skill we honed when we were children.

Jesus warns us today to carefully consider and assess our examples.

Be careful not to follow a bad example.

Even if someone we think is reliable is doing it, or we think everybody else, is doing it.

And be careful not to set a bad example.

It’s easy to forget that, even when we’re just being ourselves, not trying to set an example,

Others still do watch us; others still are influenced by us.

2nd Tuesday of Lent

Mt 23:1-12      Read this Scripture @usccb.org