Over the past week, I have caught myself falling into stereotypical traps of thinking.
(1) Clothes define a person.
Isn't this just sad? It is crazy how magazines, advertisements, shows and movies, and even people around us have warped American's minds into thinking that your clothes... your style, the name brands, the in-season colors, etc... define a person. Judgements are made superficially without even talking to the person, without even the thought of seeing what their heart is really like. And I will admit, I had one of these moments Sunday.
Jessica and I were in the Old Navy outlet waiting in a very long check-out line. There was an older lady in front of me. Without even thinking, I looked her up and down and thought, "Eww. Why is she wearing those shoes with that shirt." My eyes moved back up her body, and the cruddy thoughts continued. "And those shorts? The shirt and shoes are grey, but they have different patterns that just clash." In a matter of maybe a minute, I had already formed an opinion about this women. Pretty much after I let my brain space off in that direction, the conviction hit. "Oh my gosh! Did I really just do that?!"
It was at that point that I started looking around at people, trying to reinforce the fact that, as a Christian... as a follower of Christ and His ways... that God looks at the hearts of His people, not their clothes. How shallow and rude and just uncalled for was my thinking? As the line slowly progressed closer and closer to the check-out counters, she turned around to started talking to Jessica and myself. You know what? She was quite pleasant. People, fellow people that claim to love God, how you look at people? Do you write them, people that God lovingly created and died for... just like He did for you, off as poor, lowly, style-illiterate, skanky or even nasty on shallow judgements? Eeewwww. Wake up call!
(2) This is kind of on the same lines but a little less shallow: Manager lady at work, Chris.
Her background: She's from Rochester, New York. She usually responds to your questions and/or comments instantly defensively. Her laugh echoes through the office... echoes. She barges into other people's conversations. She huffs and puffs and sighs repeatedly when she is looking over something difficult. Oh wait, everything becomes difficult and an issue when she gets a hold of it. And she very loudly interrupts people's comments/statements/stories, trying to finish them before the person actually finishes them. Needless to say, she just gets on everyone's nerves. There are some days that I feel my blood pressure go up just at the sound of her voice. Yes, I know. That is really not nice. The office is full of people who bash her behind her back, and I'm pretty sure she knows it.
Crap. Now I feel guilty for what is about to follow. I sometimes fall into this category. I will roll my eyes at fellow coworkers about her. I will raise my hands at her while in my cubicle. Ariel and I will cut evil eyes at each other during our weekly meetings when she is just bound and determined to finish someone else's statement. It even came to a point one day, when she was in the cubicle beside me making this huge issue out a simple question, that I said something outloud about all of it. Of course, it was disguised to where she would not understand that I was complaining about her, but I knew I was. Geez, Louise! She just tries too hard with people in the office, but I know that it's because she knows what they think of her.
Then there are these moments when I see flashes of compassion, almost like a view from God's eyes. And my heart sinks to the ground. As much as she can gripe me sometimes, I know a Savior that loves her no less than me. I know a God that calls Christians to love and love all, even our enemies, even those that annoy us to the point of insanity. I see her as I walk by her cubicle hunched over eating her lunch, and I am filled with shame and compassion. She has this personality of someone that longs for people's favor and approval and wants to know everything and direct everything without receiving the blame if things go wrong. And you know what? God calls me to love those types of people too.
Hey you, you readers, loving others is not easy. And sometimes, it is as painful as uncivilized natives throwing knives and spears into your back. But hey you, you readers, did Christ not take on a whole lot more spears and knives and thorns and blood shed and pain for you... and those annoying people? Answer: Yes. And another persuasive thought, you might annoy the mess out of someone around you and have no clue you do... but they continue to love you the same.
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A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:34
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12
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