Too bad criticizing people isn’t one of the fruit of the spirit, cause man, if it were, I’d be like the best Christian ever. I wouldn’t be just a tree with the fruit of judging, I’d be like a whole orchard of judging trees. 

So the question arises, “How can I turn this attitude around,” because it’s not a case of just shutting your mouth and not saying anything. How many times have you found yourself in Walmart and in one aisle there’s a parent cussing out their child, then in the next aisle there’s a child cussing out their parent? Then you say to your spouse, “When was the last time I was inoculated against consumerism and trailer trash-ism?”

How many times do you call people idiots? Coworkers, bosses, classmates, and especially family members? Actually, it’s probably easiest to unload on family members because you know that they have to put up with you if you’re a moron or not.

You have to approach it from the opposite angle. Instead of finding a reason to criticize them, you find a reason to have compassion for them. I feel sorry for the family in Walmart because there is very little love in that family. Why don’t I pray for them quick in my head? I feel sorry for that obese man, because he must get ridiculed all the time and his health is poor. Let me pray for him. Why are my parents angry at me all the time? What can I do to change this? What can I do to help them?

All it boils down to is this… Judging is the opposite of Love. It’s that simple. Judging is focusing on them, loving is focusing on yourself. Your own heart. Which will in turn help you focus on them in the right way. Hopefully you were able to read this whole thing cause I know you have to get back to eating Ring Dings and watching that sinful Grey’s Anatomy.

Matthew 7:1-5 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. [2] For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Love.