“When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.” ~ Wayne Dyer
The nuns used to tell us all the time, “When you point at someone, three fingers point back at you.” I think, in many ways, that is a part of today’s quote. Pointing out other people’s faults, judging other people, criticizing other people, these are all the things in which someone with a small mind participates. When we judge someone, criticize someone, or point other someone’s faults, we are speaking volumes not about them but about ourselves.
We are indicating that we are small, petty people who do not have the ability to see other people for whom they are and love them as they are. Instead, we want to do all that we can to change them into the kind of people we want them to be.
While there may be some people who truly need to change, we still have no idea of what is really going on in their lives. We might think that someone is shy and standoffish and talk about that person’s apparent insecurity without knowing what is at the heart of their shyness. Perhaps they have been incredibly hurt by someone and are having trouble trusting. Perhaps they just lost someone they loved deeply. We do not know the reasons. Thus, when we decide to criticize them, we are adding more injury to what already exists.
Doing so also mocks God. God made all of us and God is dealing with all of us in His own time and in His own way. Who are we to say that one of God’s works needs to do something in our time and in our way?
The easiest way for an uncomplicated life is to let God be God. You just keep being the person God made you to be. Work on the issues that God brings up to you and do not worry about the issues of others.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to give you the grace that you need today in order to love, help, and inspire people rather than to judge them.