Sunday as I was sitting in our van watching people coming and going at Menards I was hit with a huge realization that I really needed to change my attitude about people.
After watching a woman walk out wearing the craziest skirt I've ever seen, it hit me that human nature is to judge. When I first looked at this woman the thoughts were: that skirt is crazy why would you wear that in public, she is pasty white, and I feel sorry she is over weight.
I looked at this woman's outside appearance but then I began to think, what is her story. Maybe she's wearing those clothes for a reason. It was Sunday maybe she was heading to Bandwagon (Polka dancing shown on TV, popular in our area among the older generations) No matter her story it is not my place to judge her especially since I don't even know her.
At that point I began to look at her as God would. He loves her so much that He sent His Son to die for her. I began to look at others and say to myself, God loves her and God loves him. What a different attitude I had when I really took time to see the world through God's eyes instead of my own.
As a Christian growing up in a Church I've always known that Jesus died for me. It has been easy for me to remember that concept since it has been taught from such an early age. I think we as a Church know this but I wonder if we always understand this. Saying Jesus died for everyone is such a broad topic, but when you look at someone and say Jesus died for them, it really changes your opinion of others. He came to save each and every person on this earth past, present and future. The awe of what Jesus did becomes so much more clear.
Jesus came to save the woman in the crazy skirt, our next door neighbor, Adolf Hitler, the Boston bombers, the President of the United States, the Queen of England, and everyone else who has ever lived and will ever live.
We judge as soon as someone who is different or not what we expect enters our world. As Christians we need to go out of our way to stop judging and instead love. We only know what we can see on the outside, God sees the inside. If we start looking as God does, the outside doesn't matter and we can truly love others.
If we want to make a difference in others lives it really needs to start with our attitude towards others. Smile with sincerity as you encounter others. Show them love in unexpected ways. Some people might call it "pay to forward". What can you do today to show love to others?
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