I’ve grown up in a generation where we are so quick to judge everything around us. We like instant gratification. Whether it’s the newest electronic device or the latest fashion must have, we are so quick to pick something up and decide in that instant whether or not we must have it.
Unfortunately, it’s the same way with people. I think my generation is so quick to judge the person we see right in front of us. We may have one conversation with them, or even worse, we may look at them for a only second and instantly develop these preconceived notions in our head of who we think this person may be. It’s something that I’m guilty of and continually struggle with.
Why are we often times so quick to judge others?
How many times have you heard someone say, “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover”? It’s one of those statements that we hear repeatedly from a young age. The power and truth of this saying is often times overlooked, and it simply becomes a repetitious and familiar saying. If there is one thing that I learned studying Public Relations and Hospitality in school, it’s that being relational and intentional is key to establishing and maintaining personal relationships. But, we can’t do that when we instantaneously judge people.
Its a mentality that we as a generation, as a society, need to drop. Instead, we need to take the time and focus on getting to truly know those around us and see the beauty in everyone we encounter. God places everyone in our lives for a reason. Whether it’s in passing, and you simply genuinely smile at that person showing them that they are worthy, or whether it’s growing close with someone you never imagined becoming friends with, God has instrumentally placed these people before us.
This is not something that just pertains to life on The World Race. It starts way before and continues long afterward. But, it is something that has been magnified for me on the race. Traveling around the world as a missionary, serving as the hands and feet of Christ and spreading His love to everyone, you encounter and interact with ALL kinds of people. We are placed on teams and live in community with people who become our new families.
We’re not going to like everybody. Some people are going to be harder for us to love, and that’s totally ok. Christ’s love and goodness is inside everyone, but our flesh can be so quick to focus on the negative qualities of others, that we become blinded. We are unable to see who that person really is and all that they have to offer. Everyone has a story. Everyone has something to offer and brings forth different gifts. I challenge everyone to be open, open to developing new relationships. Give others a chance and hear their stories, see past that initial judgement. Invest in people, just as Christ is invested in each of us.
