It is so easy to judge others. To think that we know what's best for them, or how they should live, or the choices they should make. I would say that one of my biggest flaws is my judgement of others. It's well-meaning, but it's fruitless. Here's the thing...I can't live anyone's life for them. I can't tell them what to do, how to be, what choice to make. Well, I can tell them, but I sure can't make them listen! I don't know where they've been, what they've done, how they feel. Even if I think I do, I really don't. I'm not in their head, in their heart, feeling their emotions. And often times, the judgement put forth by one to another can cause more damage than the intended good. I might think I know what's best, or what's right, or what should be done, but truly...I am not all-knowing, I don't have all the answers. And even when I think I do, I'm often wrong.
God has not called upon us to lay judgement on others. He has called upon us to simply love others. To be caring and kind to each other. To allow those around us to make their own choices, often times to fail, and not to pick them apart for that but to be there offering them a hand to help them up. We can offer advice, opinions, the choice we might make. But we cannot, or should not, turn away when they choose a different path, or ignore the advice, or have a differing opinion.
It's a simple concept, to just love. To just accept. To just let each person be their unique self. It's not always so simple to employ the concept, unfortunately, because we so easily get caught up in our own self, our own thoughts and feelings, our own judgement of what is right or wrong. We get caught up in being socially acceptable, or politically correct, of not wanting to offend anybody, of needing to be sure everybody is being treated equally.
Here's the thing...we aren't all equal. God didn't create us to be "equal". He created us to be "individual". No two alike. Unique. His intention was that we would work together with our unique talents to create the whole; not that we would all be equal in our talents, traits, and strengths, and not that we would act alone in our work, our play, our life. We were meant to love each other, to help each other, to encourage each other, to support each other. We were meant to listen to each other and offer advice and wisdom...without judgement. We were meant to help each other find and fulfill their potential, to lend a hand when our talent can help someone else reach their purpose. To do all these things with love, expecting nothing in return.
The only "equal right" that we need to be discussing these days is the right to love and be loved. By all. Without judgement. We don't have to like each other, we don't have to agree with each other's choices on how they live their life, we don't even have to interact with those that are toxic to us, but we need to show everyone love and respect. Treat everyone kindly. We need to stop trying to be equal to everyone, and embrace who we uniquely are.
The next time you find yourself judging another, stop for a moment, dismiss the judgmental thoughts, and choose instead to accept and love that person. After all, you wouldn't want them judging you, would you?
