Jesus said Christians should be known for how deeply we love, not how deeply we judge.
Okay so we have all been judgmental before. I know I haven't been around that long since I'm only 23 but in my 23 years of living, I have realized that most of the judgmental people on this planet... are church-goers. And I'm trying to figure out why that is.
I have seen church-goers judge people based on appearances. For why? I don't know. I have even done it when I was younger. I remember when this man came to my church wearing a white fur coat, red loafers, a fedora and had a cane and I was like ".....ummm why is there a pimp in my church?" But now thinking back on that moment, pimps can worship the Lord just like me! But also... that man might not have been a pimp and I was just stereotyping him. He could have very well been just a simple man, with a fur coat, red loafers, a fedora and a cane. I have seen older ladies look at young adult women up and down because they are showing too much cleavage. Listen here: If you got it, flaunt it honey. They are either mad because their breasts don't sit up anymore or they just don't think it's appropriate.
But I'm here to tell you, go to church in whatever makes you feel comfortable! If you want to wear leggings as pants (because leggings are pants, I'm not having this argument) or if you want to wear a mini skirt to church, do it! Now, I could be wrong, but I really don't think God cares about what you are wearing, he cares about your heart. You can praise God while you are in the shower and you are naked, so what difference does it make if you are showing some skin in church? (I'm definitely not condoning showing up to church service in your birthday suit, but I mean hey... who am I to judge you if you do?) John 7:24 states, "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
But in life, people judge. Humans judge. We all judge. But we can limit our judging. I have had my share of what it feels like. It felt like a whole state was judging me (It was honestly just a certain town). If you know me really well, you will know what I'm talking about. Certain people judged my every move. And I'm not saying I was a saint, oh no, I did some wrong in my life, just like everybody else. But those certain people made me feel like crap, worthless and less than. And it wasn't until recently that I realized, they never took the chance to really get to know me. They judged me from stories they heard or from how my demeanor was that day. They never came up to me and introduced themselves. Never. But I was always looked at to be the villain. So during that whole time of feeling like dog poop, I learned something. I learned not to judge a person by how they look. So I ask myself a few questions when I feel like I am judging them.
1. Have I given the person a chance to share their perspective?
2. Have I done the very same things?
3. What questions should I ask before drawing a conclusion?
I have always placed myself in other people's shoes because I want to see what they see. I want to understand what they understand. The more you understand, the less likely you are to judge.
But I'm trying to understand why when I talk to people who don't believe in God, they aren't as judgmental as the disciples of Jesus. There is no church or organization on the earth that is free from judgmental people. But the real question is how are we supposed to deal with “all those” judgmental people at church.
Romans 14: 7-10 states, "For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat."
I have seen church-goers judge based on hair style, language, scent, nail length, nail color, clothes, shoes, etc. What does it matter? Why does it matter? Sad thing is... it's typically the older generation doing most of the judging. I have four words for all the judgmental church-goers, yeah I'm talking about the silent generation and the baby boomers- Grow up and modernize.
Yes, there are some older generation people out there they don't care what you do and how you look in church. And we all appreciate them because they understand that our Heavenly Father doesn't care, like I mentioned above, he cares about your heart.
But I do understand that I am doing the same thing that I am saying we shouldn't do. Isn’t it actually “judgmental” to call another person “judgmental”? Am I not judging the other persons judgment based on my own opinions and perceptions?
The world needs your love and kindness more than it needs your opinion.
I choose to love and be kind everyday. I choose to have a kind heart, calm mind and brave spirit.
Amen