We have so many expectations on how things should turn out in this life. We judge before we know…
If a person looks homeless, then you better hide your wallet because he’ll probably come over asking for money soon, or if they look rich then that means they’re stuck up. I know you’ve thought this way, I have too. This happens everywhere. People judge before they know, it’s seems easier that way. God never told us to judge, let alone by the looks of His creation. How different would this world look if we automatically loved. If we acted in love, spoke in love. When will we just love? Love people for who they are? Love because God first loved us?
I don’t excuse myself from any of this. I know sometimes we can simply blame things on “the way the world works” or “it’s just natural” but that doesn’t make it any less wrong. We need to stop making excuses for being cynical about this world in the name of Jesus.
I’ve gotta share a little story with y’all.
A few of my squad mates and I took the older girls from the kid’s home out one day, and when we were on our way back, we took this vehicle called a trike. It’s pretty much a motorcycle with a place you can sit in attached to it. One of the girls, Jessica had my friend Taylor’s phone since she was listening to music. She got on the back of the motorcycle part, and while we were riding home, the phone dropped out of her pocket and onto the street.
She didn’t even know until we got out and noticed there was no phone in her pocket. Ironically, one of the other girls (Hannah) riding behind us happened to see a man that looked like he’s homeless with an iPhone and thought “that’s weird.” We realized it was most likely Taylor’s phone. We asked some people about it, but they didn’t know where it was. Taylor was getting discouraged and said we should just turn around because we’re probably not going to find him. For some reason I just felt like we should keep going, so I said let’s go a little bit farther, and what do you know the man was sitting right there.
Walking up, I think we were all thinking the same thing, “how much is he going to make us give him for it?” or “he’s probably gonna act like he doesn’t know what we’re talking about.” That SEEMS to be the usual of these types of situations. But I’m happy to say that’s not what happened!
Right when we walked up, he showed us where the phone was without any fuss. He asked for nothing. I’ve gotta tell you after being in Africa especially and just being seen as a dollar sign, I was in awe. What a powerful moment! I know it may not seem like anything huge, but it melted my heart when he just gave it to us. I couldn’t believe it! I also couldn’t believe the expectations I had of this man before knowing anything other than his appearance…
All we knew was that this man looked homeless and had a cellphone, and we automatically assumed he stole it and wouldn’t give it back. Why do our minds go to such negative places? It’s not always the reality of what’s going on! Sometimes people can be like Jesus and not even know it. I really feel like a lot of times we forget who made us, and I truly believe there’s good in everybody. I know that may sound naive to some, but God made us all. We let ourselves get so caught up in sin, and we let it control our lives. I’m not better than the person sitting next to me. I’m not even better than a murderer…
Yes I just said that, I may not have killed someone but what’s the difference from some of the horrible things we do like me going in to that situation with negative expectations? I was not loving him when I was walking up and I’ve gotta be honest I was prepared to not act like Jesus in that moment. God says sin is sin. We need to stop thinking “it’s just a little white lie” or “He’ll forgive me”. No, we need to be Jesus now and love like Jesus. Love everyone He puts in your path. If you don’t forgive like Jesus, then don’t expect to be forgiven(Ephesians 4:32). We’re all God’s treasures. We’re all learning. And believe it or not, we’re all struggling. Life can be hard and sometimes little things can take us off our paths, but if we go into each situation with love on our mind and in our hearts, then we’ll probably see a whole lot more good in this world and in people. We can always focus on the bad, that’s easy. It’s the good that’s hard to see all the time.
Remember “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude, It does not insist on its own way;it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things hopes all things, endures all things.”(1 Corin 13:4-7). Then it goes on to say “Love never ends.” in verse 8. A lot of people don’t read that part. Love unconditionally. Love like you want to be loved. We all make mistakes. Are you loving people the way He loves us? Choose to love like Jesus.
