I swiped my finger beneath the swag of silk daisies on Gloria’s windowsill and sighed in bliss.

Oh goody, dirt. She is human after all, I thought.

Every other time I’d visited Gloria, her home sparkled, not a thread out of place or a crumb unswept.

And I was jealous.

Bad Attitude

Although I continually joked about my lack of housekeeping genes, I secretly wished I was more conscientious and tidy. When I found someone who enjoyed cleaning house and decorating, I had this love/hate thing going on.

I loved being around her, because she was all the discipline and enthusiasm for neatness that I wasn’t. But then I hated being around her, because she reminded me of my lack of domestic leanings. I felt inferior.

So, finding dust in Gloria’s house was the happy surprise I needed to chase the torment away. But only for a minute.

After my initial elation, I was a mite ashamed of my immature attitude toward this dear friend. Instead of rejoicing only when I found a little grime, shouldn’t I be happy for her talent to keep an orderly, clean home?

Whenever I’ve had this kind of ugly attitude toward someone, God whispers to me, “And you’re so perfect?” JEANETTE LEVELLIE

No Peeking

Then I realized why we like to discover dust in other’s homes and lives: No one wants to feel alone in his or her weaknesses. If we find someone with the same or worse faults as ours, it comforts us and releases us from self-condemnation.

This explains why some people love to find flaws in others and spread nasty secrets about them, whether true or not. And why millions buy silly magazines with stories about famous people. We crave dirt on others’ windowsills, to make our own muck seem less harmful.

Wow, I may have a lot of shortcomings, but at least I’m not like ________, we think.

Whenever I’ve had this kind of ugly attitude toward someone, God whispers to me, “And you’re so perfect?” His searchlight in my heart makes me realize that I’m only responsible for my own dirt, not anyone else’s. And I have too many dust bunnies in my own soul to go pointing out the smudges in someone else’s.

Next time I visit Gloria, I’ll be looking for fellowship, not grime.

But if you come to my house, please don’t even go peeking near the windowsills!