I used to think I was a better Christian when I’d notice someone in church whose Bible had fewer underlined passages than mine.

Then one day, my husband, Bert, bought me a new Bible for my birthday. The pristine pages made it look as if I had never read my Bible, and I realized the error of my ways.

Do you ever find yourself making snap judgments about people? If we examine our behavior, we might be surprised to realize the subtle ways we judge others.

A child behaves uncontrollably, and we’re convinced their parents are poor disciplinarians. 

We see an overweight person and assume they have no self-control.

Whether or not our assumptions are true, passing judgment on others is always hurtful. And, let’s face it, sometimes we assume things about others when we don’t have all the facts.

Could it be that the unruly child has a disruptive behavior disorder? Or the overweight person is suffering from a severe thyroid problem? Perhaps the person sitting next to you in church whose Bible looks like it’s hardly been read might be reading from a recent birthday gift – or using an electronic copy the rest of the week. Or maybe they just don’t like to write in their Bible.

When we feel snubbed by someone at work, that person could be embarrassingly shy. Maybe the unsmiling cashier wasn’t being intentionally rude but had just learned that his father was terminally ill. What if we label a woman as immoral, only to discover later she’s pregnant because she was raped, but was too ashamed (or scared) to tell anyone?

Most of the time, we’re simply unaware of what’s going on with the people around us.

We all know how it feels to have someone mis-assume something about us. What if we moved past our first assumptions and asked God to help us be more loving, considerate and thoughtful? How might others respond if we were kinder? What sort of bridges might we build? Isn’t it interesting that although we’re often guilty of making snap judgments about others, we gravitate toward people who exercise nonjudgmental love?

How many more opportunities might we have to share the gospel if we practiced Matthew 22:39 (ESV):

You shall love your neighbor as yourself”? This is a great verse to guide us in all our relationships.

Whose day can we change today by being more kind, thoughtful … and a whole lot less judgmental?

What do you think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)

• Do you find yourself making snap judgments about people?
• How has it affected your relationships?
• How do you think it affected the person you misjudged?

Also,

• How has being misjudged affected you?

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