Whether we outwardly admit it or not, we all judge people. No one wants to be judge, but rarely do we think about ourselves being judged before we slap a first impression or get annoyed or even feel a bit above someone else. This is the way of our culture. But, as a Christian we must continually reminds ourselves that we are to look at others the way that God looks at them...and us.
My 4yo has a favorite Bible verse, 1Samuel 16:7 "...People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart". She will just randomly recite it in her own little 4yo language, but she gets the gist. When she does bring it up, I always take a moment to talk to her about what that means that we are suppose to do. I believe that this is a lesson that all of us can and should work on. This is one of those Bible verses that you need to keep tucked closely in your heart to pull out when satan is trying to manipulate you into judging someone in a wordly way.
Think about the last time that someone misunderstood your actions. I know that there have been many times when my intention was never to upset someone or make a mistake, but in the end I was judged in way based on how that person perceived my actions and not what was in my heart. Let that memory set in when the same has happened to you....think about it....let it remind you how that made you feel. Got it? Not a great feeling, is it? I know that it makes me, dare I say, sad and even hurt. Now, try to think of a time when you have done this to someone else. Doesn't always come so quickly to memory when we look at it from this side of things. :) But....I guarantee that each of us have been on both sides of the judging. That person that I judged, I need to remember that I most likely contributed to those same yucky feelings for that person when I did it. That makes me really sad! Why is it so easy to do?!?!? But isn't that how sin sneaks in on us sometimes?
As Christians we need to be vigilant to be like God every moment of every day. We will fail at this. But, with eyes on God, He will help us grow and make our hearts to see things in more of a godly way. When someone seems to be standoffish or selfish in a forgetful way....or whatever it may be that may cause you to judge them in a wordly way, stop before you act or judge. Look at their hearts, look at them in a way that God calls us to love one another. Cut them some slack. We truly do not know the struggles of those around us. And doing what God calls us to do and being faithful in that is so much more important that what the world says we should do. Your reaction...and in a sense acceptance of them through their faults, may be the only moment where they experience Christ that day/ that week/ that month. WOW! What a great responsibility that is. So the next time you are facing such a situation, I hope that you will be reminded to look at others in the way the God looks at each of us. Truly, truly, truly....ya never know what the other person is facing!
My 4yo has a favorite Bible verse, 1Samuel 16:7 "...People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart". She will just randomly recite it in her own little 4yo language, but she gets the gist. When she does bring it up, I always take a moment to talk to her about what that means that we are suppose to do. I believe that this is a lesson that all of us can and should work on. This is one of those Bible verses that you need to keep tucked closely in your heart to pull out when satan is trying to manipulate you into judging someone in a wordly way.
Think about the last time that someone misunderstood your actions. I know that there have been many times when my intention was never to upset someone or make a mistake, but in the end I was judged in way based on how that person perceived my actions and not what was in my heart. Let that memory set in when the same has happened to you....think about it....let it remind you how that made you feel. Got it? Not a great feeling, is it? I know that it makes me, dare I say, sad and even hurt. Now, try to think of a time when you have done this to someone else. Doesn't always come so quickly to memory when we look at it from this side of things. :) But....I guarantee that each of us have been on both sides of the judging. That person that I judged, I need to remember that I most likely contributed to those same yucky feelings for that person when I did it. That makes me really sad! Why is it so easy to do?!?!? But isn't that how sin sneaks in on us sometimes?
As Christians we need to be vigilant to be like God every moment of every day. We will fail at this. But, with eyes on God, He will help us grow and make our hearts to see things in more of a godly way. When someone seems to be standoffish or selfish in a forgetful way....or whatever it may be that may cause you to judge them in a wordly way, stop before you act or judge. Look at their hearts, look at them in a way that God calls us to love one another. Cut them some slack. We truly do not know the struggles of those around us. And doing what God calls us to do and being faithful in that is so much more important that what the world says we should do. Your reaction...and in a sense acceptance of them through their faults, may be the only moment where they experience Christ that day/ that week/ that month. WOW! What a great responsibility that is. So the next time you are facing such a situation, I hope that you will be reminded to look at others in the way the God looks at each of us. Truly, truly, truly....ya never know what the other person is facing!
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