This is my first official post in steemit. I like the idea of #lighttheworld and was pleasantly surprised by @gavvet and @hanshotfirsts efforts, so this is my attempt at a contribution. The light the world website has their own take on this simple teaching. Ill include their message, but I am also going to attempt to include more depth to the scripture that inspires today's message. Regardless of your religious affiliation, or lack there of, I hope you the reader will learn something, or find some value in this article.
Day six :"Do Not Judge."
"For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye"
Matthew 7:2-5 NLT
The basic message of Christ's teaching not to judge others, has made itself common knowledge among Western Civilization. It teaches someone to look at their own mistakes before claiming to be better than another. This requires humility, and emotional maturity. Similar teachings such as "let the one without sin cast the first stone" are found throughout both the new testament and the old testament.
However, If we meet someone who believes in a different God, has different morals, or has certain characteristics or behavioral habits that annoy us, or even lack social skills, don't we as people instinctively judge them?
Yes, WE do.
However, the message not to judge others asks us to look at the person as they are and not how we want them to be. To have no expectations on them or ourselves. To realize someone elses internal struggle to be accepted and fulfilled is the same as ours. Even the old testament teaches there is nothing new under the sun.
Later in the same chapter as these verses, Christ also says
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 ESV
Christ calls us to Love thy neighbor as yourself, to die for others as he did, to give our enemies food to eat and something to drink. Would you want someone to look at you as if you just crop dusted the room? Or to cut in front of you in traffic? No.
So, when you judge someone, think of just how much it would upset you, if this person knew you judged them by the way they looked, or acted, and then just kept treating you like their best friend. That would be pretty convicting wouldn't it?
So, instead of judging someone, we should try to understand them. The light the world website has the following suggestions :
Only Jesus lived a sinless life. We should show compassion when others make mistakes
Do you owe someone an apology?
Ask for that person’s forgiveness today.
Are you having trouble understanding someone else’s perspective?
Take time to really listen, and try to understand the person’s point of view.
Do you find yourself sometimes thinking negative things about others?
Help to overcome this habit by saying nice things behind people’s backs.
These things require humility and emotional maturity. But, some people might not be at that point, and need extra baby steps in between. Here is one way to try to understand someone, and to show them compassion.
-Take a moment to admit you don't know this person’s life story.
You don't know how their day has gone. You don't know if their grandmother just died in the hospital this morning. You don't know if they have been abused in the past. And maybe you don't know why they jumped on a city bus with shampoo and water dripping down their neck.
Let's take it one step further. Don't just humble yourself, and admit you don't know the person you were about to judge, talk to them.
-Say Hi, get their name, and find something in common you both have.
-Find a way to see this person as a part of your family, or as your friend.
-Talk to them, ask them questions, people love talking about themselves!
-It's not weird, it would be weird if you didn't talk to them.
After all, Christ died for drug dealers, and Donald Trump's alike ( :P ). So why wouldn't he die for this person in front of you as well? They are your family, so go spread some love and bless them :)
This isn't just a preachy sermon either, I lived this today.
I was riding the city bus, and I met a new person. We had a good conversation about life. Suddenly, a nicely dressed man started talking to the woman I just met, asking her to move and started cursing at her. We were both caught off guard, and whatever insinuations he made about our conversation had silenced us both. I looked at him, and he was nicely dressed. He had shiny black shoes, a tie, and an empty coffee cup in his right hand with fresh coffee stains in it. He held a large binder full of all kinds of papers. And… he was riding the city bus. I ignored how rude he was and asked him if he was heading to work, in an attempt to start a conversation. He didn't respond, and acted as if I said nothing. So, we all shared an awkwardly silent bus ride.
I don't know if he just lost his job, or if he needed to find a new one. Maybe he didn't sleep at all the night before, or maybe he was demonically possessed lol Regardless of his state of mind or past experiences, I had to humble myself enough to have compassion for him and admit I didn't understand him.
Later, as this new woman and I got off the bus, we discussed the strange experience. While I couldn't help the man now, this woman felt highly uncomfortable about riding the city bus in the future, so I talked to her. Her car broke down last week, and she was in her last semester in college. She was tired, stressed, and just wanted to study for an exam later. I learned about a past job she had taking care of horses, her family history, her outlook on life, and her faith.
She could have spent the rest of the day thinking about how rude the well dressed man on the bus was, but instead she gained a new friend.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:14-16 NIV 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
While not judging others, just remember how powerful kindness, and gentleness, and understanding is. Sometimes you may be the only light to shine in someone’s life. You don’t know what kind of baggage they carry. If your eye is filled with light, and your thoughts fixed on what is good and pleasing, share you light with the world.
Sometimes all we have is our time, our talents and our words. Whenever you're about to judge someone, don't. Talk to them, make them smile, and try to learn about them. If I was in a similar circumstance, got cussed at or cussed at someone on a bus, I would be incredibly touched if someone tried to be my friend immediately afterward. So don't judge anyone, treat them as you would want to be treated, and light up the world :)