Sunday
Jan022005
Judging people
Sunday, January 2, 2005 at 10:10AM
Last year, I sat in a group where we all introduced ourselves. I hate that. I didn't hear a word that anybody else said until I introduced myself. I was too busy trying to decide what to say about myself. I don't think I wanted to make a good impression; I wanted to avoid making a bad impression. Being unnoticed would be okay. This, of course, is all about pride. Eventually I gave my spiel and began to actually listen to others. Amazingly, I was judging everyone that I heard. I hate this about myself, but it's true. A burly man who looked like he had edge started to talk. I pictured him as a somewhat disillusioned pastor of a small church somewhere. As he talked, he revealed that he was founding pastor of a fairly large emerging type church. I immediately changed my evaluation of him. I don't know what I hate most about this scene: that I was worried about how others would perceive me, that I was so quick to judge others, or that I revised my evaluations based on things that don't really matter (success rather than heart). It's so hard not to judge. I'd much prefer to see the image of God in every individual. Maybe one day I'll get there.
Reader Comments (5)
As a writer I can relate to the 'evaluating' others in a group and in people watching in general really. We make assumptions on what we know and what we see of people externally. Often as a writer I will 'make up a story' to go with a stranger, for a story idea.. not necessarily judging them, but perhaps in a way it is. I have a friend who gets judged wrongly all the time. He is a big burly guy, looks like a biker you'd see in a Motorcycle gang, hair long and in a pony tail, dresses in dark clothes. People act afraid of him on sight. He's really a very gentle, caring, sensitive man who speaks in the softest of English accents that we tease him about carrying a keg of Earl Grey on his 'fictional' Harley. heh. It is hard to see the image of God in every individual sometimes. I try to as well, but our human hearts and minds don't always cooperate with that.
Not only contumacious but lugubrious about your captiousness. ;)
Ahhh yes a kindred spirit...DSD captious is the right word LOL.
Trish, Methinks you are being captious about my use of a word to describe Darryl's captiousness??LOL
Nooo to the contrary I was in agreement with you. :)