1 Corinthians 4:5. “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (NASB)
I just love living in a small town. There is something encouraging and comforting to know most of the people that you see on a day-to-day basis. Soon after moving here from a big city setting I learned that there is something I have dubbed “the Ohio wave.” When passing by people you know, and even those you don’t, it is cordial to lift your fingers from the top of your steering wheel as if to say a friendly “Hello” while passing by. In this way it is possible to greet friends and neighbors while motoring by on the road. The alternative to the “Ohio Wave” is a light tap on the horn which also has the same effect of acknowledging those you pass.
As much as I love small-town country living there are also some down sides. While it is possible to know most people by name and face, it is a much different matter to actually KNOW each person personally and deeply. But the somewhat shallow recognition of acquaintances often leads to the temptation to judge others.
Since living in our quaint ‘ville I have perfected the short honk version of saying “hi” to those I pass – until recently. My car developed an issue and one day while passing a friend I tapped ever so lightly on the horn, but instead of the friendly “hi” the horn got stuck and the sound came out more like, “I am really ticked off. I wish you would get out of my way.“
I was completely embarrassed and even more so when I saw the face of my friend in the rearview mirror. Her look betrayed her wonderings about what was wrong with me. After this happened a few more times I decided that maybe I shouldn’t honk anymore, but then I was afraid people would think I was ignoring them and being rude. What a predicament!
It is easy for us to judge those around us based on our observations, but this is not a loving response. Possibly someone who ignores us is struggling with a difficult issue in their life and their slight was unintended. Or maybe we are misjudging someone’s actions because we do not understand the full circumstances.
No matter what the case, it is not our job to pass judgment on our friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. It is always better to give the benefit of the doubt. This leads to a much happier existence. More importantly, we should wait for the Lord to determine what is in someone’s heart. At the appropriate time He will bring to light the things that are hidden in the darkness and disclose the motive’s of men’s hearts.” At that time each person will receive what he is due from God Himself.
I really, really love living in a small town and am thankful every day for my family, friends, and acquaintances who live here with me. But if I pass you on Main Street and I don’t honk my horn – or if I do – I am not in a bad mood or being rude. My horn just sticks!
This is great! I can just imagine your embarrassment! Such good advice to not judge…
This was really embarrassing, but it was a good reminder to me not to judge others! 🙂