What’s the first thing anyone does when a new face enters the room? Come on now, don’t shy away from the question, you know what I’m talking about. We all do it, on a daily basis, and it’s almost involuntary – a knee jerk reaction.
We’re assessing people all the time, sadly it’s become our second nature. We’re comparing them to ourselves and others we know, and we’re judging them on a very long list of criteria which we’ve compiled in our heads according to our personal likes and dislikes…
Your hair might be long, curly and bushy, you’re wearing a tracksuit and sneakers. By all external appearances you seem untidy, unorganized and possibly even scruffy looking. Apart from your obvious external appearances, you’re actually a well-grounded person, very smart and definitely CEO potential.
Consider a well-groomed man. Armani suit, short and neatly styled hair, handsome looking and drives the latest Mercedes, all thanks to Daddy’s money. This young man has no vision for his life, no dreams and aspirations; just living the grand life, appears to be very well educated and driven, simply just living under his father’s shadow.
You’re a well behaved child, excelling in your academics and you’ve got a bright future ahead of you. You’re friends with the naughtiest kid in school who has a terrible reputation because of his naughtiness and bad habits.
In these examples above, it’s clear who these people are, but the misconception is that they’re guilty by association. Just because they don’t conform to a specific model, just because they’re associated with the wrong person, or just because they don’t meet all your standards, they just don’t make the cut.
The Bible speaks about doing unto others as you’d like them to do unto you, perhaps its time we stop judging, criticizing and categorizing people, just to make us feel better about who we are. Remember, as much as you’re categorizing people and criticizing them, guess what? They’re doing the exact same to you.
Let’s search our hearts today and accept the fact that every other person on this planet looks different to the image in the mirror. Accept the fact that you have certain abilities, talents and gifts that the next person might not have; but in the same breath, remember, the next person has abilities and talents that you simply don’t possess. That makes everyone special and unique.
Instead of criticizing, judging and forming opinions of people, why not adopt a new approach to the new people you meet today, and give them the benefit of the doubt, realize that they too are human and will be very different from you.