I totally judged someone by their appearance yesterday. I thought I was beyond that. I realized I am just faking being beyond that. I gave this lady a fake smile instead of a real smile because I didn't like the way she looked. The ironic thing is, it was about 5 minutes after I apologized to one of my friends about how I looked. (I had a very busy morning and didn't have any makeup on and had barely run a brush through my hair.) So after I asked God to forgive me and change me, I started thinking, how often do I do that? And also, how honest with myself am I really? How many things do I do in my flesh and not even recognize? I can't just know what is right and wrong, I have to actually live it. I do not want to value people or judge people because of how well they do or do not take care of their bodies. Why I do is completely beyond me because I am not very good at that myself. But you know what? I think less of myself too. And it is all a bunch of nonsense. God loves us for our spirits and souls, He does not despise the weak and brokenhearted. Yes, our bodies are His temples and we can serve Him better if we are strong and healthy but if we just fake it and make our bodies strong and healthy, while our spirits are weak, we will regret it someday. That is all for God to determine, I need to love. Just love. Not judge. Not try and determine strangers emotional and spiritual states in one glance. Not despise, not be jealous, just love. I am glad there is no end to God's power and love or I might be in trouble.
Do you have any appearance "pet peeves"?
6 comments:
I don't like it when people wear their pajama bottoms out in public.
I have had a super rough year with judging. I'm sure I don't have to say much to you but from some of those still "in" have been brutal to me. It really has made me take a look at myself and be so careful about judging. It is always a struggle though. I love what a co-worker told me once. When you point your finger, be careful because 3 are pointing back at you.
Thanks for the post and a good reminder. I love that we only have to answer to ONE judge.
I am also so thankful we only answer to the one who knows our hearts, better than we do.
I love your transparency in this post. I also really related to the part where you said - "How many things do I do in my flesh and not even recognize?" It's something I really want to grow in - abiding in Jesus, in His Spirit, in His ways, rather than living in the "flesh." Thanks so much for the reminder.
i always "size people up" by how they look...
i think it's instinctual, almost. that we take in as much info about someone as possible ~ to quickly get an idea of who they are.
and i don't know what to do about it!
Birgit, It seems God always leads me to "abide in Me" as an answer to almost everything. Someday, I will be able to actually do that more. :)
Mandy, I am not sure it is wrong to "size people up" as long as we always determine they are worth loving. That is where I went wrong.
Thank you for your honesty.
Wow. So I have totally been dealing with my own judgment issues lately. Specifically keeping my mouth shut when I think something...knowing that somebody may be dealing with or might be hurt by my words. Who knows what God is doing through and around people...so yup. I am learning.
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