Post by «MªÞlεδtǻr» on Sept 23, 2007 11:46:53 GMT -8
God has been teaching me a lot through this past year or so in my life. He's been teaching me to have faith in him, to have patience, and to not judge. Of course no one is perfect and I'm still working on those things, but I have gotten better.
EVERYONE judges, there's no use in saying that someone judges more than another person because in God's eyes, it's still judging. In Matthew chapter 5, there are a couple of passages that I would like to share:
Now these passages may not be about judging, but I had to mention them because what Jesus is saying here is that even if you don't commit murder, if in your heart you feel like you could kill the person, then it's just as bad as actually killing them. If your heart says that it wants to murder, then God says that you have murdered. The second passage probably doesn't apply to anyone here, or at least I hope it doesn't. Adultery is when someone has sexual relations with someone when the other person is married or vis versa. And what Jesus says is that even if you don't actually commit adultery, if you think about it and your heart wants to, then it's just as bad as doing so.
what I'm trying to say is that there are no little levels for God, there's black and white, so there is no such thing as someone not judging as much as another.
Ok, so this is about seeing the good in others. In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus says:
This is saying that you shouldn't be trying to fix someone else's problem when in fact you have the same one and you refuse to fix it yourself. In order to help someone else you first have to fix that problem in your own life. You shouldn't be judging others when you yourself are just as bad. Now I haven't learned a whole lot on this subject. But I did want to mention how I have been working on not judging ever single person I see.
There are many stereotypes, especially in school. There are so many cliques and things where this group can't hang out with this group because that group isn't cool. Well I simply look at the person how I see them. If I see someone walking down the hall wearing crazy clothes or something, I don't say, "What a dork!" because I don't have the right to say that. I haven't met the person before. Even if I may have a class with them and have a little bit of an idea what they're like, I still have no right to be saying bad things about them because I don't know them personally. When my brain starts to think something bad about a person who I don't even know, I immediately stop it from doing so and correct myself by saying, "Those are some crazy clothes, that person it very unique" or something like that.
Even if I did know the person, and I got all nit picky and started saying, "They're so judgmental, they make comments about almost everyone who walks down that hall," I still have no right to say that because I myself am doing the same thing. When something like that happens, I stop my mind from finishing the thought and just forget it, I turn my attention to myself and try to "remove the plank from my own eye."
I have one last point that I want to say here. If there is someone that seems to be bothering me, or I can't seem to get my mind off the negative I see in them. Then I look for the good. I focus on the good in them rather than the bad. It's like my pastor said once before that the more you say something like, "I will not think about that I will not think about that!" then the more you think about it. He used the example of saying, "If I tell you not to think about purple elephants, you will, DON'T THINK ABOUT PURPLE ELEPHANTS! Stop thinking about purple elephants!" then it doesn't work, you start thinking about purple elephants! If you were to think about the good in someone, then you would. It just doesn't work to say that your not going to think about the negative in someone because then you will!
So I leave you with this note: For every negative your mind won't stop dwelling on, think of two positives, and remember those instead.
EVERYONE judges, there's no use in saying that someone judges more than another person because in God's eyes, it's still judging. In Matthew chapter 5, there are a couple of passages that I would like to share:
Murder Begins in the Heart
21"You have heard that it was said tothose of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.'
22"But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
23"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24"leave you gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26"Assuredly, I say to you, your will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Adultery in the Heart
27"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
30"And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell."
Now these passages may not be about judging, but I had to mention them because what Jesus is saying here is that even if you don't commit murder, if in your heart you feel like you could kill the person, then it's just as bad as actually killing them. If your heart says that it wants to murder, then God says that you have murdered. The second passage probably doesn't apply to anyone here, or at least I hope it doesn't. Adultery is when someone has sexual relations with someone when the other person is married or vis versa. And what Jesus says is that even if you don't actually commit adultery, if you think about it and your heart wants to, then it's just as bad as doing so.
what I'm trying to say is that there are no little levels for God, there's black and white, so there is no such thing as someone not judging as much as another.
Ok, so this is about seeing the good in others. In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus says:
3"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4"Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5"Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
This is saying that you shouldn't be trying to fix someone else's problem when in fact you have the same one and you refuse to fix it yourself. In order to help someone else you first have to fix that problem in your own life. You shouldn't be judging others when you yourself are just as bad. Now I haven't learned a whole lot on this subject. But I did want to mention how I have been working on not judging ever single person I see.
There are many stereotypes, especially in school. There are so many cliques and things where this group can't hang out with this group because that group isn't cool. Well I simply look at the person how I see them. If I see someone walking down the hall wearing crazy clothes or something, I don't say, "What a dork!" because I don't have the right to say that. I haven't met the person before. Even if I may have a class with them and have a little bit of an idea what they're like, I still have no right to be saying bad things about them because I don't know them personally. When my brain starts to think something bad about a person who I don't even know, I immediately stop it from doing so and correct myself by saying, "Those are some crazy clothes, that person it very unique" or something like that.
Even if I did know the person, and I got all nit picky and started saying, "They're so judgmental, they make comments about almost everyone who walks down that hall," I still have no right to say that because I myself am doing the same thing. When something like that happens, I stop my mind from finishing the thought and just forget it, I turn my attention to myself and try to "remove the plank from my own eye."
I have one last point that I want to say here. If there is someone that seems to be bothering me, or I can't seem to get my mind off the negative I see in them. Then I look for the good. I focus on the good in them rather than the bad. It's like my pastor said once before that the more you say something like, "I will not think about that I will not think about that!" then the more you think about it. He used the example of saying, "If I tell you not to think about purple elephants, you will, DON'T THINK ABOUT PURPLE ELEPHANTS! Stop thinking about purple elephants!" then it doesn't work, you start thinking about purple elephants! If you were to think about the good in someone, then you would. It just doesn't work to say that your not going to think about the negative in someone because then you will!
So I leave you with this note: For every negative your mind won't stop dwelling on, think of two positives, and remember those instead.
