You Do Not Know My Journey!
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” Rom. 14:4
Years ago, a friend and I spent many hours a week walking in our small town. Trying to reduce our stress and improve our health, we greatly enjoyed our outings. But we noticed that all of our acquaintances found it needful to provide us “constructive criticism.” They shouted jeers at us, “You are walking too slow!” It does you no good to walk and eat a candy bar!” Do your husbands know you are ‘street-walking’?” All of this was done in fun, and we laughed and retorted in kind.
Fast forward 10 years. I recently resumed my walking, but now I do it alone, in a new town and on a road less travelled. But I noticed something. As I walk, I still hear the censure of days gone by. And consequently, I find myself speeding up when cars pass. I paste a pleasant look on my face until they pass and then I resume my huffing and blowing. I am concerned with how I look to those that drive by. Ridiculously concerned.
One day my calves were cramping on an incline- not hearing any traffic, I stopped and did a couple of lunges to stretch my calves. All of a sudden I realized that there was a car coming behind. Mortified that I had been caught lunging like a pro, I consoled myself that it was just one stupid car. But it wasn’t. Not by a long shot! It was a school bus FULL of kids!
As I contemplated my over-exaggerated response to this, I realized something. People driving by do not know my journey. They do not know where I started, how long I have been going, or what my goals are. If I am seen walking slowly, it may be a warm up or a cool down to a 10 mile jog. People only observe what they see as they pass by. But they cannot know my journey unless they walk it with me.
How many times have I been guilty of judging people based on a drive-by snapshot of them? I see what they are wearing and I make assumptions. I see them visit our church and I gauge if they are new to church or veteran attendees. But do I know that? What do I know, really?
Life is a journey. Christianity is called the Christian walk. We expect that we can look at someone’s progress and know their walk, but only God knows the end from the beginning. Only He knows if we are walking with heel spurs and a bad back. Only He knows if we were abused, if our hearts are breaking and bleeding on the inside. Only He is qualified to judge the quality of our walk.
Maybe today you need to cut yourself some slack and quit beating yourself up. Are you doing the best you can? Then let yourself off the hook! Are you harshly judging others without truly knowing their journey? Today, extend mercy rather than judgment!
Dear God, thank you that you walk every step of my path with me. You know what makes me laugh and what reduces me to tears. Help me to rest in your approval alone. And forgive me for judgmental, critical attitudes. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Sherri,
Your post rings true. We all put on appearances and we all judge others. I’m learning, trying to learn, to live for an audience of One, because I am so aware of how often I do things because I know I will be seen by others. Thanks for your transparency!
Thanks for the encouragement, Katie! I fear I’ll be fighting this for life, lol.
Thank you for the reminder to not judge others; we don’t know their journey.