We often make judgments about strangers, but we don’t truly know what they’re like until we get to know them. Even if we have known somebody for a long time, lies can start brewing in our heads about them. These lies may lead us to hold a grudge, suspect them of dishonesty or selfishness, or even judge them for judging us (hypocritical much?). And that sucks.
We make false judgments about others all too often. Such judgments are the source of much social injustice, meaningless debates in politics — and yes, broken relationships. I would even say that misjudging someone is the source of the majority of our problems.
But just as bad — if not worse — is making false judgments about ourselves or about God. When we do this, we alienate from the only one who knows who we really are. We refuse to be known. We refuse to know Him back. We become someone who we are not. And we start living for a lie. And that only leads to disappointment.
The following is an excerpt from Living Unveiled, a blog by Brenna Kate Simonds (my new hero). You can read the full post here. This one really helped me today.
When you envision your Heavenly Father, do you imagine an angry man with furrowed brow, wagging His finger from up in heaven, waiting to punish you at any mistake? Or do you imagine a caring Father, who is slow to anger, quick to run to you with love, even in your pain & brokenness?
Do you know who God is? Who He really is?
The prodigal son, when he was close to his father, living near him & spending his days with him, knew his father’s character. He knew that if he went to his father & asked for his inheritance, it would be given to him. As he walked further and further away from his home, through distance and action, he slowly lost sight of the nature of his father’s character, to the point where when he decided to go back, he thought the best that could happen would be to become a hired man.
Have you lost sight of God’s true nature? Or maybe you never really knew it & are only learning who God really is now?
For some of us, it might be more accurate to say we think God is like our parents or other authority figures who were imperfect (just as I am) or maybe even mistreated us. The New Living Translation says in Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?“
Do you know who God is? Who He really is? Do you know the nature of His character? If not, will you allow yourself to absorb the truth of Scripture & what it says about His relationship with you and His heart for you?
Don’t be a stranger to God. Don’t let Him be a stranger to you. He is not a human that He would disappoint you.
