"Learn Their Story"

One of the sweetest, most Godly women I have known in my life very often gives one powerful piece of advice, "learn their story."  We tend to make judgments about those around us before we take the time to learn their story.  Who are they and how did they get to this point in their life?  If you can't answer those questions then you have some work ahead of you. 

I was contemplating this yesterday in the midst of watching the movie, "Cloudy with the Chance of Meatballs 2."  I know, I know...You are wondering how I got there.  Well in this film, Flint Lockwood takes the word of someone else that the creatures on the island are dangerous without first checking it out himself.  I understand why he did that, because he had no reason not to believe his childhood hero. Watch Flint overreact to one of the creatures they come across on the island...
 

We too often tend to make judgments solely on the word of others, and to be honest we end up looking just as silly as Flint did in this segment.  We must learn to ignore the gossip of others and find out for ourselves.  The Bible is clear about judging others. 

Matthew 7:1-5

" “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

We are no better than anyone else.  We all have a story.  We all have things in our lives that we daily have to give to God.  I say it all the time..."I'm a Mess!... but I'm God's mess."  I know that God is helping me deal with my own issues.  I don't need to spend my time judging someone else's life.  That is between them and God. 

Take the time today to get to know someone around you.  Perhaps you see them at work everyday, but you truly don't know their story.  Ask them about their life!  You may find out the people around you that you have passed judgments on, are no different than you.  I find all the time that it is truly a small world after all.  Very often I have more in common with people than I first postulate. 

The biggest step in loving God's people as we are commanded is to Learn their Story! 

Now sing with me...."Getting to know You..."