May 25, 2014

I've been thinking about something quite a bit lately, so I thought I would share it with you in a little Sunday message. I continually listen to and observe conversations, whether in person or here on social networking, and sometimes I hear things that bother me, but I don't want to embarrass people, so I usually don't speak up. The few times I have said something have been quipped by, "Oh that's different" or "I didn't mean you." So here goes. Be careful what you say. 

You have no idea the struggles people have been or are going through in their lives. Just because my child makes bad decisions doesn't mean that I'm a bad parent, that I didn't love and teach them correctly. Just because someone is an addict, doesn't mean they are weak. Because someone struggles with depression does not mean that they are just negative people who want attention. Because someone doesn't dress or do their hair in the latest style doesn't mean that they don't care about their appearance or that they don't yearn for acceptance. Because someone is dirty and homeless does not mean that they don't have physical needs and emotional struggles and feelings. We are so quick to judge and we forget one very important thing: MERCY.

Neither you nor I, nor anyone else on this planet is perfect. We have temptations, trials, and hardships. We make mistakes and make them again. We wouldn't want everyone to know the struggles that we go through but quickly judge others and how they handle them. So let's all try a little harder to show a little more mercy. After all, Isn't that what we all need?