I recently
heard someone say, “by their fruits you shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20) I
couldn’t help but agree regarding the person in question, but I started
thinking about how we might misjudge someone who’s hurting or has been wounded
by others. We’ve all had bad days and I know that I would rather not be judged
by my behavior when I’m at my worst. What if the waitress who seemed a bit rude
when you changed your order is about to lose her kids because she can’t pay the
bills? Or what if the guy who cut you off in traffic was distracted
because his wife just got a bad report from the doctor? I’m not making excuses
for rudeness or reckless driving, I’m just saying, “Why are we so quick to
judge?”
In February,
I was driving on a scenic highway through the foothills of Tennessee and
started thinking about dormant trees. When a tree loses its leaves, it appears
dead, doesn’t it? Guess what? The roots of a dormant tree still grow and take
in water and nutrients. So, what if we apply that principle to people? I think
I would like to make an effort to look beyond a person’s bad behavior and think
of them in a dormant state. Perhaps they need time to heal from a wound or work
through an issue. What if, instead of judging, we encouraged them or asked if
we could help in some way? That might be just the boost that person needs to
get back on track.
Spring is
right around the corner. When you see a tree beginning to bud, remember someone
who’s hurting and see what you can do to provide some nourishment for them.
Perhaps God will use you to help them begin to bloom again.
“In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak. Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees." Job 4:3-4
