Often, in being dishonest about our own faults and failures, we have been far too insensitive and callous toward others who have fallen short. It is really unfair to others becuase all human judgment is partial, one-sided, and superficial.
When we judge others, we must realize that we are also judging ourselves. When we judge another, we are focusing on what is wrong with someone else in an attempt to shield or take the inner spotlight off of what is wrong with us.
A friend was sharing with me the other day how far God has brought Him over the years. He stated that there was a time when he would listen to his pastor's sermon and think about how his wife should be there to hear it as everything the pastor was preaching, he felt, related to her and he wondered why those that he felt needed to hear it, were never present.
He went on to relate how God revealed to him his own pride and slapped him across the face with the knowledge that each sermon he heard was for his ears, not his wife's.
Judging others reveal something unkind about us because we are making assumptions about others based on our distorted perception of what others should be like or how others should behave.
Judging others is the effect of our own ugly pride. Before pointing the righteous finger of accusation at someone else, remember that we all have personal deficits that we must continually work toward improving. The easiest thing in the world to do is find fault and we all know fault finders are a dime a dozen. Remember, we all have some skeletons in our inner closet dangling in wait to be discovered.
When tempted to focus on the shortcomings of others, STOP. Turn the magnifying glass on yourself. What you will see in yourself will temper your perception of others. You will begin to realize that it is not your sister or brother but you, who stand in the need of prayer. Keep in mind that the best scrutinizer of mankind is not man, but God. It is the omniscient God alone whose knowledge is thorough and absolutely just. Only God's judgment is perfect. Let us concentrate on rectifying our own lives and leave the faults of others to God.
Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, will be available soon.
Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..Back in the days of the old law of Moses,... Read More
Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the... Read More
When the Bible makes reference to a "yoke" it is... Read More
Whenever we have the opportunity to make human assessments, the... Read More
Someone asked me the other day what was the most... Read More
Several months ago, I read an... Read More
Did you happen to see the made-for-tv movie, "Jesus," that... Read More
To find out how psychic you are, try answering the... Read More
Has America known its finest hour? Are we losing our... Read More
Matthew 3:4-6 John Baptizes the People4 Now John wore a... Read More
Freedom....The cherished goal of humanity throughout its history.No society has... Read More
Meeting someone so attractive, so beautiful. Your heart beats like... Read More
Those of us, who are familiar with Apostle Paul's sermon... Read More
We, the human species, stand on the threshold of a... Read More
Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw... Read More
You know that the Bible tells us a lot about... Read More
Anyone who tells you that the path to self-actualization is... Read More
The Evil Eye has been around since the beginning of... Read More
As we walk along our paths in life, we will... Read More
I am deeply drawn to the above Irish Blessing.This blessing... Read More
As more and more alternative and spiritual healings are being... Read More
Human beings are blessed with a unique gift: the gift... Read More
Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in... Read More
The question of life after death is one that continues... Read More
At first glance it does seem that law and grace... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..1. Gabriel means: "God is my strength" or "God is... Read More
I am often asked to explain what I mean by... Read More
Several years ago after I presented a workshop entitled "Spirituality... Read More
Divining Rods, also known as Dowsing Rods, have been used... Read More
Many consider anger a normal human emotion and continue to... Read More
Some may ask why in a disaster some people are... Read More
When I was 10 years old my father decided to... Read More
If I speak in the tongues of men and of... Read More
As you grow in wisdom, you will release, more and... Read More
David understood the aguish only those who have chosen to... Read More
The first hymn of Isha Upanishad says - whatever living... Read More
The question isn't, "Is there life after death."Rather, the question... Read More
*Advice on living a humane and compassionate life.According to text... Read More
Ok, let's start with the amazing story of Robbie and... Read More
I had visions of my daughter for about five years... Read More
I come face to face with self whenever you come... Read More
According to H. G. Bosch, the newspaper cartoonist H. T.... Read More
I am disturbed by the tendency of some people to... Read More
Following are 17 questions that can be used as a... Read More
Everybody knows that if you stick your hand in a... Read More
"It's a big challenge. It's a journey into the unknown.... Read More
Years ago a commercial ran for eggo waffles. It showed... Read More
What type of person grabs your attention and motivates you?... Read More
I once read a story about a Catholic priest who... Read More
Though closely akin and sometimes used synonymously, John Rawls distinguish... Read More
Spirituality |