The other day, when it was really, really cold and snowing, I had an interesting experience.
I parked the car in my traditional spot, not far from the door I use to get to the office. It is one of those doors that you need to use your I.D. card to get it unlocked.
As I walked towards the door there was another employee a few steps ahead of me. He unlocked the door, went through and let it go, so it closed and I had to use my card to unlock it again, forcing me to stay a few more seconds in the cold. In my mind I immediately thought that this person was not considerate at all. Wouldn’t be nice if he had held the door for me. What a jerk!
I went in, let the door go, just to hear someone else unlocking it after me. Yes… I did exactly the same thing I was just criticizing. I didn’t even look back to see if somebody else was coming. I was too focused on judging the person ahead of me. What a jerk!
The problem is that I do it all the time. No, not the part of being a jerk with other people. The part where I was being critical. I do that far too often.
I criticize the other drivers in traffic, I judge the way people are dressed at Walmart, it drives me nuts when people mix “your” with “you’re”, or “hear” with “here”…
Maybe my 25 years working in Quality contributed to that: I am trained to find mistakes.
But the truth is, I am wrong. The situation above taught a lesson: I make mistakes as well. A lot of them.
I do things that annoy other people… I say things that I shouldn’t…
Why then do I treat the world as if I was superior? That is not right.
God has given me many blessings. Very special blessings. He loves me and forgives my mistakes. Shouldn’t I do the same to others? Shouldn’t I show mercy? I struggle with this.
I believe a lot of Christians act as if they were superior to “those out there”. Entire groups of people are being isolated by that behavior. People that should be reached, not judged.
I am tempted to say that I am not alone in this struggle. That you may be in the same boat. But then I may be judging you.
So, I will stop here and let you think about yourself. Meanwhile I will pray for forgiveness for my critical spirit. I will ask for mercy. I will ask that I learn to love more and judge less.
