Think a minute…A lady was waiting for her flight at the airport, so she bought a small bag of cookies to eat while reading a book. Gradually she became aware of someone else reaching into the package of cookies. Looking from behind her book, she was surprised to see a well-dressed man taking some of her cookies! She did not want to say anything, so she just leaned over and took a cookie herself.
A minute or so later she could not believe her eyes as this man took yet another one of her cookies. In fact, by now almost all of the cookies were gone! Finally, as if to add insult to injury, this man broke the last cookie in two and handed half of it back to her. Then he ate his half and walked away. Now, she was more upset and angry than ever! In fact, she was still mad later when boarding her plane. She opened her handbag for her ticket and was shocked to see her own package of cookies she had never opened. At that moment she realized that earlier she had been eating the other man’s cookies, not her own! Yet even though she was wrong, the man was so generous and kind that he let her take his cookies.
She was terribly embarrassed and ashamed that she had judged him. She had been completely blind to her own pride, assuming she was right when in fact she was the one who was wrong. This also blinded her to this man’s kindness to her.
Sadly, we all have judged other people, even when we were the ones who were wrong. We think we see everybody else’s faults and failures clearly, but we are blind to our own. We think we know much more than we actually do. Like the little girl who said to her father: “Daddy, I know everything!” Her father replied: “Oh, really? And how do you know that?” She answered: “Well, I thought and I thought…and I can’t think of anything I don’t know!”
Sadly, that is what we adults do when we judge other people—even though we have many things wrong with our own character, choices, attitudes, actions, and relationships. Today, won’t you ask the only true, perfect Judge to forgive you for your sinful pride that is blinding you to your own faults and wrong way of living? Only Jesus can help you start changing and becoming the truly honest and compassionate person He created you to be. A person who loves and forgives others just as He has forgiven you. Just think a minute…