Thursday, May 31, 2012

Judging

I wrote about this yesterday, but I just want to talk about it a little more.
The world is too judgmental. And it HAS to stop. A prophet of the lds church tells this story:
A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.
“That laundry’s not clean!” Lisa exclaimed. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to get clothes clean!”
John looked on but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments.
A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor’s yard. She said to her husband, “Look, John—she’s finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it.”
John replied, “Well, dear, I have the answer for you. You’ll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!” (2010 October General Conference, Charity Never Faileth, Gen. Relief Society Meeting - Thomas S. Monson)
A couple years ago I was at girls camp. Everyone was asleep. But I heard the girls upstairs talking. And they were crying. One of the girls (I could have heard it wrong) said that she was being abused. This girl had always annoyed me. And I didn't like her. But after I heard this, everything clicked. I understood why she was annoying like she was.
The next thing I am going to talk about is listed like this: we see, we think.
We see a teenage girl pregnant, we think she is a slut. But what if she was raped.
The friendly guy stopped talking, he hates life and is emo. Really his sister just died.
The girl over there that's fat. She doesnt care about her body. But she can't excercise, she has a disease.
The person who doesnt eat, they are anorexic. But really, if they eat it will kill them because they have a disease.
The boy with a black eye, he is violent. But really he was beaten up.
The girl who cant make up her mind, she is annoying. But she can't because she is sick of being told her decisions are dumb.
The girl who is wearing the same thing as yesterday has poor hygiene. But maybe she had to run away from an abusive parent.
That girl who is always happy, has life good. But really she cries herself to sleep at night.
The person who constantly checks her phone, she is addicted. But she is waiting to find out if her kidnapped brother was found.
The person on the street is insane. But he was abandoned by his family.

I have read a couple of quotes about judging.
"judging someone doesnt define them, it defines you"
"everyone has a story. A reason they are the way they are. You have no right to judge someone you don't know. For all you know, today could be their last."
"if you judge people, you have no time to love them."
Keep on Criticizing, Insulting and judging people. Someday, someone will do the same to you"
"don't be so quick to judge, you only see what I choose to show you"
"you know my name, not my story"

Think about this. Is what you think of others what you want them to think of you? Do you want people to look at you and think things that aren't true? If not, then why do you do it to others?
I challenge you to do your best during the following day to not judge. Don't beat yourself up over failure, it will happen. But when you do have a judgmental thought, correct yourself. Tell you that you are wrong about them.
I will be honest, just talking about this, makes me cry. Because it is something horrible that happens every day.
Now, I understand that judging is something that comes naturally. But everyone needs that least try and stop.

3 comments:

  1. I'm taking your challenge, Melissa—thanks for it! And I agree with you 100%. There's a scripture I love to think about: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17) Even Jesus, who will ultimately be the loving and righteous judge of us all, did not and does not spend his time finding fault and condemning his brothers and sisters. He spent and spends his time exercising compassion, helping, lifting, healing, and looking beyond the surface into the heart. He's commanded us to do the same. It's a freeing and happy way to live, letting go of judgment. It's something we have to constantly work at, and that's okay. The Spirit can help us see others with patient and caring eyes. The Spirit can even help us see ourselves with those same forgiving eyes. I'm so glad you posted this. What a wonderful woman you are!

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  2. Right and everyone that is driving slow is delivering a wedding cake.

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  3. Melissa you are a pretty good writer! Glad I read this...

    Oh this is your brother, blogger hates me...

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