Saturday, July 23, 2011

 

God Judges Differently

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -- Ephesians 4:32

Recently I read a wonderful book by Karen Kingsley titled This Side of Heaven. It’s about a young man who never met the expectations of his parents and others who loved him. He was a disappointment to them and he knew it.

After he died unexpectantly, they came to know the person he really was. He was the man on a limited budget who still managed to buy and deliver groceries each week to his elderly neighbor. He was the man who always had time for visits with his special needs neighbors, letting them borrow things when they needed to. He was a man struggling with severe pain that was caused when a car driven by a drunk driver hit him as he shoved two teenagers out of the way. He was a hero to everyone but those closest to him.

He wasn’t wealthy. He didn’t have a college degree or a proper career. He didn’t have a fancy car or a house in a nice area of town. But his kindness to others reflected his heart. That was something those closest to him couldn’t see because they were so busy judging him for what he was not.

How many times do we do that with people we know? We look down on them because we don’t believe they’re achieving their potential. We criticize them because they aren’t meeting our expectations. We have a better plan, a more successful way, a different path for their lives. Why won’t they listen?

Maybe they are listening -- just not to us. Kingsbury said she wrote this book as a tribute to her brother David, who was someone others were disappointed in. He died early but before he died he came to love Jesus with pure joy. Like her character in this wonderful book.

What’s more important: financial success or loving God? What’s more important: owning lots of expensive things or showing kindness and love to those around you? We judge things far differently than God. We judge people far differently than God.

The next time you’re tempted to look down on someone, deciding they aren’t what you want them to be, think about it. Then look in the mirror. Or, better yet, get down on your knees and ask God to give you a heart for compassion and kindness and to forgive you for judging others by worldly standards.