isn't it funny how we all make judgements about people and situations like we know a thing or two? yet in reality we are just on-lookers... observers... people who have not ever and probably will not ever find themselves in the situations we are looking at. and yet we somehow find a way to justify our judgements? i am guilty of this for sure- it's something ive noticed to be a common trend among people in today's society. we always seems to know better. we always seem to have the solution to the problems that the guy next door is facing. yet when do we ever really stop to ask ourselves what it must be like to walk in that person's shoes? and when are we ever going to realize that if we have not ever walked in those shoes- we have absolutely NO right to judge? it's funny to me how many people forget these simple things... isn't it all about graciousness in the end? aren't we as people called to show grace and mercy on people? and yet we judge.
i made a very short and brief comment along these lines of judgement on facebook yesterday... wasn't meant to be offensive or mean or rude. i wasn't upset or trying to hurt feelings. i simply said 'isn't it fair to say that if we've never walked a mile in those shoes we are in no place to judge?' and within 24 hours- id been axed from that person's facebook. gone. the person who axed me isn't necessarily a "good" friend of mine but she is someone i met several years ago and have always really liked. ill be honest- it kinda sucked to be axed. BUT then i realized that maybe what caused her to axe me was that she felt the harsh sting of accountability. and even though my words were not offensive or mean or hateful... they made her uncomfortable because i was right. and so in the face of accountability instead of choosing to address why it stung a bit to hear my point of view... she deleted me. how will we ever become better as people if we refuse to consider other people's opinions and points of view? how will we ever become better as people if we run from accountabiliy?
as christians we are called to love. i have never been the type of christian who subscribes to the point of view that we are to "convert the masses" or "judge the unholy" or "beat the truth into the lost with our fire and brimestone bible-beating antics." i simply think that we as christians are called to love. and not just to love people who are easy to love either. but i also believe that at the root of love is graciousness. in my mind the two go hand in hand. if i sit up here on my pedestal and act like i know everything about everything- like ive been in every tough spot there is to be in and i KNOW the right way out?? i will never be able to show true grace or compassion... which means i will never be able to really love.
at the end of the day this situation just got me thinking... about how we as a people are so quick to judge and how we refuse to be held or hold ourselves accountable. even if it means showing your ass and up and deleting someone from your friends list on facebook. lol. so lame. i can say that while im sorry she found herself offended... i stand by the comment i made because i know where my heart was when i made the comment. and though it would be easy to get mad and say mean things or whatever- this person deserves graciousness just like the rest of us which is why it is okay. in all honesty i guess i am glad that my beliefs about judgement made this person think. my hope is that maybe she will at least take the time to consider what i said and know that if she ever wants to understand the true meaning of love... she's gonna have to start by showing a bit of compassion and graciousness to the people who need it the most.
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