Is It OK To Judge?.....NEVER!!!

Ahh!  At last!  A peaceful moment to myself!  The hubby has taken the kids and has given me a free night to do as I wish.  I could be doing ANYTHING....watching a movie, painting my toe-nails, scrubbing floors, visiting a friend....I tell you ANYTHING!  What I really want to do is share my thoughts with you, my reader.  

I feel honored that you would take a moment of your precious time that you could be doing anything you want, to read the thoughts that I choose to write in this post.  I hope that they are insightful and that you feel you can share them.  I also hope that you will be able to think about the things that I write and, in your own small way, take these words and help make your small part of the world a better place.  A place where others can feel the love that our Heavenly Father has for all his children.

I recently heard a woman tell of an experience that she is placed in day after day.  I will name this woman Joan (yes, the name has been changed to protect feelings etc.)  Through no fault of her own, Joan is still single after a lifetime of kindness and love for others.  Joan told of how her boss is "model gorgeous" and how men will run to open the door for her, or flirt with her, or even notice her.  But when it comes to Joan, the men look the other way because, in their minds, she isn't "pretty".  She has had men slam doors in her face because they didn't think her worth the time or effort for them to be a gentleman.  True she is very "plain" as the world standards go, she is very tall, has a stoop, walks with a limp, and she is older.  She said "I could be wearing a dress and have a flat tire and still people would drive right by."  She went on to say, "why can't people look at me and see what is in my heart?"

People, this breaks my heart!!!  Are we not all daughters of our Heavenly Father?  Shouldn't we be treated like the princesses we have been created to be and not some trophy for a man to show off?

There is a music video that I just watched that defines what a "real" woman is.  It isn't the profession she has chosen.  It isn't how she looks or what she wears.  It isn't what she watches or reads.  It isn't who her friends are.

Woman is God's greatest creation!  Woman was created last because God wanted the world to be absolutely perfect and it wasn't complete until woman was placed on this earth.  God made woman beautiful.  No matter what you look like - if you are a woman, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

Please take a minute to watch this video and remember what makes YOU beautiful:

Click here to play video

 

Back to Joan.  I have seen her do amazing things for children.  She teaches the young children in my church and she is, in a word, AMAZING!  She has the ability to calm a troubled child with just the sound of her voice.  She has the ability to reach out to a rambunctious little boy and teach him about Jesus.  She also has the ability to care for her aging mother.  She has served this country in missions that can't be talked about.  She faces daily life alone, without a man by her side, and she does it cheerfully.  I cannot lie - I admire the strength of this woman.  I know her reward in Heaven will be great.  I only hope to be just a smidgen like her.

Thinking of her situation, I have been reminded of the many times that I "judge" or "criticize" others for being "different" or just plain not like me.  My thinking has been wrong for a long time and I am starting to change.  We have no right to judge or criticize others cuz we don't know what they are going through.

Something to think about:  

What do you think when you see someone sitting alone across the room making no eye contact or even making an effort to converse with the other people?  This person could be dressed "to the nines" and look so prim and proper.  Do you think of this person as stuck-up or "too good" for everybody else?  If this is what you thought, maybe you should stop yourself right there and ask the question "Do I really know who that person is?  Does that person need a friend?"

Truth is, you don't know what has happened to that person.  

Maybe they just lost a loved one and they are trying really hard to cope with such a difficult loss.  They may feel that anything they say will trigger an unexplainable emotion.  Maybe they are afraid that someone might say or do something that is hard to take in at this particular time.

Maybe that person is new to the area and doesn't know a single living soul there.  They are looking for a friend, but are too shy to reach out and say "Hi.  I'm so-and-so.  Will you be my friend?"

Maybe that person might be feeling inadequate in all that they have ever done in their life and they have never been given the encouragement on the things they have done well.  They may have lost the desire to even try anymore.

Maybe that person has been relied on so much and looked at as "the strong one" in all situations in life (especially if that situation included extended family) that they haven't been "allowed" to grieve when needed.  This person needed to hold everyone else up in times of trial, but in truth, this person is just looking for someone to hold their hand for a change and say "Don't worry.  Things will be OK.  I'm here if you need me."

This makes you think doesn't it?  What type of person do you want to be?  The type that will judge on sight or the person that will reach out and extend the hand of friendship?  Will you be the person who gives a smile to a struggling mamma in the grocery store?  Will you be the person who really notices a special needs person as the child of God they truly are?  Or will you be the one to turn your head and walk away from an opportunity to lift someone up?

I'm not perfect.  I never have been and I know that I never will be.  BUT, I know that I can work on changing how I look at others.  It is difficult, I know, but I also know that when we look at others as children of Heavenly Father, the world becomes a little bit better for everyone.

May you find it in your heart to stop yourself from judging and criticizing others.  Take a moment to remember that you don't know them well enough to make that call.  There is only one person who truly knows what is going on in the life of others, and the one who truly knows is NOT you.  Put your faith and trust in Him to right the wrongs and lift your thoughts and actions in kindness to others.

My thanks to an amazing author  +Melanie Mason for sharing the video link.  Thank you for opening my eyes!  Also, thank you for being an amazing sister-in -law!