Stop Judging!

Mahatma Gandhi was a great man. He is well known for his many non-violence and civil rights efforts, and everyone is taught in school that he was a great man. But let me tell you something you may not have known about Gandhi. While he was a student in England, he did some serious research into Christianity. He read the gospels and put a lot of consideration into becoming a Christian, as Christianity presented a real solution to the caste system in India, which is a terrible system that destroys many lives. One Sunday he decided to go to a church and ask the pastor to explain some of this to him so that he may possibly convert to Christianity. But when he entered he sanctuary, the ushers refused to give him a seat and suggested that he leave and worship elsewhere with his own people. He then left, never to return. He said, "If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu!" He is also quoted as saying, "I like the New Testament, I like your Christianity, but I do not like your Christians."


This story stood out to me like crazy. One of the most influential men in world history could have been a Christian, if not for one man's judgement of him. One man prevented the salvation of potentially thousands of people! Now this is an extreme story, and to some extent it can be hard to relate this story to our own lives. After all, we live in America, the land of the free. We have no caste system, and thus, no judgement, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. Just because we do not have a caste system per se, we think we have no judgement issues. Let me just point out a few people we may look down upon as Christians:

• The weird kid who you think may have some sort of mental disability. He probably has other friends, right?
• The metrosexual guy who everyone thinks is gay. I can't love him, he might fall in love with me!
• The janitor you pass in the hall and don't say a word to. He's busy with his job, and I'm sure plenty of other people say hi to him.
• The clingy girl that you try to avoid. If I pay attention to her, she'll never leave me alone!
• The crazy guy with a tattoo that includes the F word. He's way too far gone for God, right?

If you're going to tell me you've never judged any of these people, you're lying. I know that at some point in my life, I have thought every one of these things. I have judged, I have looked down on, I have not been Christ to others. And that's dead wrong. That's a sin. "Love your neighbor as yourself." We are called to love everyone, not just those we understand or feel comfortable with. Stop judging others! 

Multiple times in the Bible, it says, "Judge not, that you not be judged." I've screwed up countless times, I'm the greatest sinner there is. I would rather not be judged. So I resolve to stop judging and treat all as God would treat them, by God's grace and to the best of my ability. How will I do this?

1.  I'm going to admit I have a problem. I am redeemed and saved. I no longer identify myself with my sin nature. But some of it still hangs on, and I pray to God to help me identify those areas of my life. I still judge, and I desire not to.
2. I'm going to pray about it. God, please let me stop judging. Put people in my path who make me uncomfortable. Then give me the courage to talk to them, to show them your love. Give me Your strength so that I can show them Your love, God.
3. Go do it. Destroy your prejudice, bring the judging thoughts and glances to a screeching halt. You don't need a new year to resolve to do something, you need the will to do it!

I strongly encourage you all to do this. I know I need to. And after reading the Gandhi story, I realize that the smallest thing I do to someone else or fail to do to someone else can make the biggest difference in the course of eternal history. I pray that I will never be the man that will lead someone away from Christ. Do you wish the same?

Cell Phone Stereotyping

Do you have that friend who's always on their phone? I put together this handy list of a few stereotypes to help you identify them!

1. The Absorbed Texter: This is the person who has their face to the ground all the time, buried in their phone. It's the technological equivalent of the nerd we all knew in elementary school who always had their face buried in a book. (Spoiler alert: It was me!)

2. The Facebooker: You know the Facebooker by their checkins on Facebook. If there's a page called "Jill's House <3 <3" with 172 checkins, 171 of which are from Jill herself, you know you have met a Facebook addict. These are also the people who will decide to fast from Facebook to dedicate more time to more important things in their life, and reactivate it two days later and tell everyone what a sacrifice it was. They will force you to become their friend seconds after meeting them so they can tag you in their newest photo "Chillin on the escalator!!! <3"

3. The iPhone user: You know this one. This doesn't apply to everyone that has an iPhone, but to those who just KNOW that they're better than everyone else because they have the iPhone 4S. (They'll make fun of you if you still have the archaic iPhone 4.) Stick around and laugh as they ask for a Taco Bell and Siri recommends 7 childcare locations near them.

4. The Parent: You know you're dealing with a parent when you recieve a voicemail in which they tell you the number at which to call them back, and it's the same number in your caller ID! Parents are known for their failure to understand technology. Also, a text that says, "HEY are you free 2 night to go 2 gmas house? Gma is baking CheRy struedel for uz and your csns." is a sure-fire indicator that your're talking to a parent. Note that some parents are techno-savvy to the point where it's scary. Watch out for them, as they will guess your passwords with the ease of an easy chair.

5. The "I need to charge my phone" Friend: Seriously, that ONE person always needs to charge thier phone. It's a brand new phone, but it runs out of battery by 11 am every day. No one can understand this phenomenon. It's just one of those facts of life.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Just keep an eye out for these cell phone stereotypes, and maybe even call them on it!