Judging Others

"Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." John 7:24











I was very fortunate to grow up in a Christ-believing, Christ-led, home. My upbringing afforded me the opportunity to learn many biblical truths. I'll be forever thankful and in great appreciation that my parents took me to church, convicted my heart of sinful thoughts and ways, and raised me in biblical principles. Although I falter on a daily basis and fall short, I thank them for the woman they've helped me strive to be. The simple truths they instilled in me I can pass down to my own children. I pray my children will feel the same appreciation toward their grandparents and take time to learn from their wisdom.







Among the truths my parents impressed upon me from an early age was that of treating everyone the way I'd want to be treated. I was always taught not to judge others based on appearances, status, race, etc... I held firm to that principle all throughout my early years. I cringed at the children who were chided and ridiculed in school to the point of befriending them. I tried to do that in all situations. I tried to be diligent in that effort throughout high school and college. It wasn't always the easy or popular thing to do. Perhaps it was a mix of conviction and just a plain old stubborn streak. I'm not sure what the cause, but whatever it was, I stuck by it.

In fact, I distinctly remember one such situation when I was waiting tables in college. I worked in a nice little Italian restaurant. Most of the customers were middle class, nicely dressed customers who were either on a date night or on a family outing. However, on this particular night, we had a couple of rough and rugged looking bikers walk through the door. Customers and restaurant staff alike actually turned heads when they walked through the doors of the restaurant. They came in with leather chaps, dressed all in black. They were tattoo laden with bandannas stretched over their long, wiry hair. Their skin, damaged by the sun, was leathery. In a nutshell, they really didn't go with the ambiance of our quaint little restaurant.







The night those men walked in wasn't a particularly busy night for the wait staff. Up to that point, we'd practically been fighting over any customer who walked in the door as our pay came mostly from tips. Yet we all stood in the wait station watching as the hostess seated these two. Undaunted, she walked into the wait station and asked whose turn it was to take a table. I knew it wasn't mine. I already had a few tables so I kept silent while waiting on the other waitresses to chime in. No one said a word. Again the hostess asked who wanted to take the table, I stood appalled as the others refused to take the table. So, I told her I'd do it.







That night made an indelible mark on me as I waited on those two men. They were very kind, polite men. They talked with me for a few moments and thanked me for the friendly service and smile. They were a very easy table. They'd only ordered a couple waters and some salads. When finished, they got up from the booth, called me in their direction, and handed me a twenty dollar tip for a ten dollar meal! My jaw dropped. I had never received that kind of tip before, and obviously, I never forgot it.







Now, let me be very clear, I did not tell that story to boast. Please don't misunderstand that. I pray that I never boast except to boast in the Lord. No, I told that story to lead up to what happened recently where I had not held to those convictions. It leads to a moment where I went home and hung my head in shame. It was a moment that helped me to recall those two men in that restaurant so many years ago.







In the more recent past, there was a man I'd run into on a daily basis during the course of my routine. He was a friendly man. He had a good nature about him. He appeared to be a very lonely man. I saw him on a regular basis in the gym where I worked out. The first few times I saw him, he'd just say hello to me and get on the cardio equipment next to me as I was finishing up my own routine. I'd just plug my music back in my ears and continue what I was doing. After a few times of this, he began getting on the equipment earlier on in my routine. I began feeling a little inconvenienced. He was a heavy man who had a strong odor as he worked up a sweat. What's more, he would talk incessantly as I tried to get my routine done an be on my way. After a few weeks of that, it was getting a little irritating. I began trying to find ways to avoid him. I'd try doing my strength training first and then going to the cardio equipment when he finished. Well, of course, he caught onto that and would have none of that! What do you think he did? He switched his routine too! So, I tried coming in later in the day. Then he started doing two-a-days! Ugh! What was I to do?







One morning as I was in the middle of my quiet time, I went to God in prayer asking him for opportunities to tell others about Him. I'll bet you can guess whose face came to mind instantly! Yep, "Gym Guy" was put before me by my Lord. God placed a burden on my heart for this man. How judgmental I'd been! I thought back over the times I'd watch the man walking through the gym looking for someone to care. He wanted someone to take a few moments to listen. He wanted someone to make him feel like he wasn't inferior. To think I'd honestly taken pride in the fact that I was a loving person. I didn't judge others. Wow. That was a nice little lesson on pride and judgment from the Almighty Himself. I had no choice but to ask forgiveness and determine I would be faithful in the small things.







As it turns out, the man had been badly injured years before and was trying to do some rehabilitation to regain some strength and get his body back to an ideal weight. I got to see God's marvelous plan at work when I revealed to the man that I had done some personal training on the side a couple years before and could tell him a little about his form and give him a few pointers in terms of nutrition. Then it occurred to me that this was what God wanted me to do. Jesus came to earth and spent much time meeting physical needs before confronting the spiritual condition of humankind. This poor man had just wanted someone to show some care and concern and I had been too busy. I hadn't looked at him and seen what God sees. Yet God had put me there to show him a love like His.



In the future, I hope I'm in tune enough with the will of God to see the needs of others. I hope I can share His love without judgment. I hope I'm not too busy to show I care. For I know if I become too wrapped up in judgment and my own ideals, I'm missing great opportunities. I'm missing out on the blessings He has in store for me. I certainly wouldn't want to miss out on that!





Gracious and loving Father, forgive me for being judgmental. How hypocritical it is for me to see the speck in someone else's eye without noting the plank in my own. Your word tells me that I am to first remove the plank in my own eye if I am to see clearly to remove the speck in my brother's eye. I'm sorry, Lord. I'm a work in progress. I'm gonna mess up sometimes. I desperately need your loving hand to guide me. I'm so thankful for your forgiveness and conviction in areas where I need vast improvement. Lord, I pray I would WELCOME opportunities to be a light in a dark world. I know that you won't always present opportunities as I would picture them. Open my spiritual eyes that I may see you at work around me. Thank you so much for loving me despite my shortcomings. I love you so very much. In the name of Jesus, Amen.