What I Believe - Judgement

Perhaps it's because we were judged as children by parents, teachers, other children, and even strangers that we, too, cannot seem to help but judge others.

"She's such a pretty little girl!"

"He looks just like you!"

"Your child disrupts the class with her hyperactivity."

"He'll never amount to anything."

"He's so weird."

"You're just like your father!"

There are many ways in which we might pass judgement on others and sometimes when we think we aren't, we actually are. I have watched people who profess that they are not judgmental turn right around and judge someone because they disagreed with something about the other person.

"What a jerk!"

"What a mush brain!"

"What a --"

Feel free to fill in the blank. I know I have. I have to stop myself from judging others too frequently. I won't say that I'm doing better about it because the moment I do is when I will probably turn right around and point the finger at another. I forget, as I am sure we all do, that when we point a finger at someone else there are three fingers pointing back at us.

However, not all judgements are bad or even wrong. Aren't we supposed to judge others, especially when they do something that is harmful to themselves or to others? Should we allow criminals to carry on with their crimes simply to avoid being considered "judgy"?

Of course not! We are told in the scriptures to --

Judge righteously. Leviticus 19:15-19
To have an understanding heart to discern between good and bad. 1 Kings 3:9-12

It's when we point out the little things that bother us about others rather than working on our own big things that we fall into the the judgement trap.

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that in thine own eye?" Matthew 7:3

The first time I heard the quote in the above picture was when I was watching one of the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But a friend of mine shared a similar quote on her wall the other day and it triggered a comment from me that I thought might be a good way to sum up today's What I Believe Wednesday.

We are all flawed. Here to help, not hinder, one another.

This is what I believe.