Withholding Judgment

Are you as guilty as I am about jumping to conclusions? I see a homeless person, and at times, I think, "What a bum. If he would just get a job!" Or, if I see someone speeding down the highway, I am quick to pass judgment, hoping they get a ticket over the next hill. Or, I see a mother being distant to her children in the park, and I can often think, "What a bad parent!"

Little may I know that the homeless person was living paycheck to paycheck, and lost his/her job just last week when the employer was found guilty of defrauding the government.

Little may I know that the person speeding is on the way to the hospital after hearing of their child being involved in a car accident.

Or, little may I know that the distant mother with her children may have just been told by her husband that he is leaving.

We are too quick to rush to judgment. More precisely, I am too quick to rush to judgment.

Case in point, I've added a drawing here. My wife, who teaches third grade, sent it to me. It was not from one of her students. But, as we all do, she sent it to me after someone sent it to her. Look carefully at the picture. What do you see?



Okay, what was your first thought? Be honest!

You know what you are really seeing? The mommy works at The Home Depot. She works in the shovel department and people are wanting to buy shovels!

Not quite what we saw to begin with, is it?

Today, be mindful not to judge those around you. God only knows how we are being judged by those who look at us from a distance!