As I walk around I see people from all walks of life. There are those who seem to have life pretty easy, and those not so much. There are some who try to avoid eye contact, while there are others who joyfully greet me with a warm "hello". There are some that are God fearing people, and others who would not set foot into a church building. As I go door to door, meeting so many kinds of people my love for people begins to grow. Even as contrast as we may seem on the outside we are all brothers and sisters in God's eyes.As I have met and talked with all sorts of people I have learned lots, and heard a lot of interesting stories. Amazes me how some are so open to share their life story, but others instantly slam a door in my face. But you still gotta love them all just the same. No matter how far off or different we may be we all still need our Heavenly Father. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God.
I have loved my opportunity to come to know so many of my brothers and sisters. Each one unique and special in their own way. People are amazing, every one of them. Sadly, judgement clouds our minds at times, and these lost brothers and sisters take the form of strange and different. We place in our minds judgements which limit our chance to love them. We skip out on the chance to learn from one another...but why?Is it natural for us? Are we all just programmed to do so? Do we do it out of fear of the unknown? I have asked myself this question countless times in the pass few days....I feel the cause of these judgements is from lack of love, or simply forgetting who the people around us really are. Our minds operate in a manner of stereotyping and trying to arrange and categorize life as it comes towards us. As I remind myself of who these people are, " my brothers and my sisters", the walls of judgement begin to fall. My love for those around me regains strength and becomes and outward flow towards them.
This is one of my favorite pictures, which teaches this lesson to me over and over again. When a woman caught in serious sin was brought before Christ, he was not quick to judge, but instead taught us all a lesson with a simple statement... "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." We are all on the same playing field. None of us are above another. We must drop our stones of judgement, and love our fellow brother!
