Let the Judge, judge.
I try my best not to get involved in political or religious conversations. They often get too heated and end up without outcome.
I'm an outcome kind of person. I like results. Good ones. If what I'm embarking on has no potential for good, I do not get involved. I like to see lives being changed positively. So I mostly focus on personal development and growth, which comes from our internal beings.
But of course, we don't live in a bubble. As we evolve and grow, so does the world around us. So many life happenings. So much going on. We can't possibly ignore everything.
I still believe individual turmoil leads to world turmoil. Not the other way around. Most of the world's problems come from inside out.
From person to person, to community to community, and it becomes an ideology because someone started it.
Often out of this ideology comes judgement. Undue judgement. Hasty judgement. You against us. Us against you. It quickly turns into black against white. Christian against Muslim. Rich against poor. Heterosexuals against transsexuals and homosexuals.
Human divisions stem from judgement. Judgement that we often craft up in our minds, exaggerate them, spread them, and it spreads like wildfire (now, even faster than ever, thanks to the power of social media).
Knee-jerk judgement, even before examining all the facts. Even before looking at that person's track record or the reasons why they may have acted the way they did.
Often, people who judge so quickly have major skeletons in their own closet.
Take the Joel Osteen fiasco that happened about two weeks ago—the fiasco resulting from so much judgement, so fast, with such damaging words unto him and his church before examining all the facts or giving him a chance. I read many of the social media postings and really felt in my soul how we are so quick to judge. We do this on a smaller scale in our day to day interactions with others, and we do it on larger scales like this one. Everyone destroying the guy's character so quickly.
I'm glad he came out to defend himself and that he did it with great honor, respect, grace, and humility. Just like a leader should.
Let us all let God be the Judge. He has always been and will always be the Judge. He wants to remain the Judge, because he knows if he gives us that role, we will misuse it.
Let us be quick to listen, quick to be patient, and slow to judging and destroying others' character.
Be permanently happy. Judge less!