Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Making Judgments


Judging A Book By Its Cover


                                                                                        

             

  Haughty: arrogantly superior and disdainful


The other day I had to fill up and get on the road for a two hour drive. I was already tired when a man approached me wanting money for a good cause. I was in a hurry to get home. I didn't have time or want to 'donate' to something I didn't believe in, and besides, he 'looked' sketchy. I dismissed him with hardly a glance, but when I came out again, another man with the same solicitation was coming toward me. 
I was bugged. I didn't remember that one of my prayers is "God make me a generous, liberal giver"  Right before me was an opportunity to give but instead I decided to question his intentions. If he truly was the changed man he was proclaiming to be, because in my opinion he didn't look like a Christian or even a decent person. 😐😮 "You're a Christian?" I questioned him. How long have you been saved?  You see, in my experience certain words and phrases let me know if a person even know what the "true christian" language and pose is... (my own "Christian pose" was not Christ-like at all)
My tone, my words, my impatience, all of it was trying to shame him? confront him?  
In that very moment God stepped in. The man whose Christianity I was measuring by my standards, said, "Maam, can I tell you something?" The look I gave him said "No, look at you" but I restrained my tongue.  He said " You know maam, you should slow down in life, you only get one chance." The words at the tip of my tongue were "You don't even know me"...Then, I realized, he obviously couldn't see Jesus in me! I was knocked right of my haughty horse! I felt squished.
I didn't know him, who was I to judge him, and besides he was right. I was in a hurry, I'm in a hurry a lot.  I thanked him and drove away. More like I scurried away, and once again forgetting to be generous.
Ps.51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

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