The First Stone

Photo Credit: Rebekah Southwood

In life we encounter countless opportunities to learn and grow physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  But, we also encounter a judgmental mentality.

Countless times, I hear the typically, "he plays football, he is dumb," "all the baseball guys are players," "cheerleaders are sluts," or "bowlers are awkward." All these are preconceived notions.

Who says football players are dumb? I know a football player who is now a medical doctor. Who says cheerleaders are sluts? One of the nicest and pure people I know is a cheerleader.

Why is my generation, including myself, judging people for their occupation and not their character and spirit?

Why do we fall into the trap of judgment? Who are we to judge? We are not perfect and can never be perfect.

Jesus addresses the judgmental and said, "And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

Jesus also said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5

Yesterday, after class a physical giant to 5-foot-4-inches me, leaned over and gave me a hug and gentle asked, "How are you today?" It was a simple gesture that rocked my world.

I instantly thought, "Gentle souls from physical giants. Never overlook the kindred spirits."

This gentleman was football player from what he considers, "the ghetto." He is not someone you would typically see as a kindred spirit. Yet, through all that he is a genuine and kindred spirit admist the rough outer shell.

This drives me to never have preconceived notions and to rid my life of misconceptions about people.

As I've said previously, "lessons learned as a child never pass away."

My hero, Anne of Green Gables, wrote by L.M. Montgomery said, “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” 

Challenge of the day, analyze the character and spirit of people before forming your opinion of them.