"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”

 

The proverb literally means that those people who are living in houses made of glasses should not throw stones at others. This is because when you throw from glasshouses, you are nowhere on the safer side. When the other person starts throwing the stone at you, your house and everything you own get destroyed instantly. Your action will end up destroying you ultimately. This has a symbolic meaning towards our dealing with other persons. When you are at fault, you should not spot the faults of others. If you do so, you will end up in trouble. Those who “throw stones” at others to hurt them, can be thrown back to hurt themselves. When you say bad about others you are going to experience the same. That too, when you live in a “glass house” it will be easier for them to hurt you with your faults by throwing the same stones at you.

All men are liable to commit mistakes and fall a victim to follies, this makes man’s position weak and vulnerable. Therefore, one must be very cautious and careful in casting aspersions on others or finding fault with others. The other man so criticized can also find faults with you. So if you are living in a glasshouse, which means if you have faults with you, your position is as weak as one living in a glass house and if stones are thrown at you your glasshouse would also get broken and you would stand exposed.

Therefore, one needs to be very careful before casting blames on others, or finding faults with them if you yourself suffer from faults and frailties. It is not fair for the pot to call the kettle black as both have been on the fire and both have black spots over them. Those who are themselves corrupt should take care not to call others corrupt otherwise the other would bounce back. It is only when one is fully convinced of his own honesty and truthfulness that one should dare to accuse others otherwise it is best to keep quiet.