Take a look at this normal looking glass.

Would you say it is taller than its circumference?

The circumference is the distance around the circle, in this case the circle made by the top of the glass.

Take a good look, this is not a trick.

Now what would you say if I stuck this glass on another glass?

Is the circumference (distance around the top of the glass) more or less than how tall the two glasses are?

Pretty sure you have the answer?

What we are talking about is judgment. Do we have good judgment in height vs circumference?

Proverbs 14:12 says:

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

So our judgment is not always so good.

As you can see below, I cut a piece of paper to show how long around the glass was. I slightly offset the paper where it meets up so you can see that it does not overlap.

When you then stretch out the piece of paper, you can see that the two glasses together are shorter than the circumference (distances around the top of the glass).

I found this surprising, but apparently this is a pretty known phenomenon. Most people are incredibly bad at judging circumference vs height. Find a similar glass in your cupboard, and try the same experiment.

Remember that our own judgment is flawed, and the judgement we need to rely on is what we learn from God's word.

2 Corinthians 10:12 says:

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

Remember whose judgement matters.

Psalm 105:3b-5, 7 says:

Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
Remember His wonders which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth,
He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.