Solely original

As moms (and grandmas), there are times in our children's lives that we eagerly await. Sleeping through the night, crawling, their first words, walking, potty training - the list goes on and on. We love to witness these steps towards independence and the look on their faces when they master something new. It's our job and our privilege to be part of that miracle we call life.

I remember when my kids got old enough to dress themselves. When my oldest daughter was about 4 or 5, before bedtime we would pick out her clothes for the next day and set them on her dresser. That way she could get dressed and come downstairs in the morning all ready for her day. At some point, before she started kindergarten, she decided that she could pick out her clothes "all by herself" and I begrudgingly agreed. I remember mornings she would come downstairs in some pretty wild outfits, but I didn't say anything because she was so proud of herself!

And the shoes... why is it that every little kid has trouble putting shoes on the right feet? So, not only did she have some wild pairings of footwear, they were also inevitably on the wrong feet. This too I let pass. My thought was what can it hurt? She's proud of her accomplishment and who cares if a little kid matches everyday? It just didn't seem worth the argument. Until she started kindergarten.

What was I thinking!

I had set myself up for what came next. I had encouraged her independence, even praised her for it. So, what was I going to do... break her heart, her spirit, and make sure she went to school everyday looking matched and proper or let her continue to pick out her own stuff and have her going to school looking like a homeless child?!

Yep, you're right. I let her go to school looking like a homeless child more often than not. A HAPPY homeless child! When it came down to it, it wasn't worth risking breaking her heart. It wasn't worth risking her feeling ashamed of her accomplishment. And in the end I realized that it wasn't HER I was worried about... it was ME. I was the one with the problem! I was the one that was going to be embarrassed. It didn't bother her, she was proud of herself.

Coming to that ah-ha moment put everything in a different perspective. She loved school! She was a great kid! She was smart and polite and she made friends easily. What was I thinking? I WAS proud of her!

I had to remind myself of that life lesson recently. I had to ask myself, "Is that a YOU problem or a ME problem?" Or maybe it's not a problem at all! Maybe if I would step back - get my opinion out of the way - everything would be fine.

That's a tough one sometimes... to take our opinion out of the picture. How many times have we cast judgment on something or someone that was going to make US uncomfortable - make US embarrassed. And what if - just by voicing our OPINION - we hurt someone's growth, interfered with their progress as a believer or their walk with Jesus?

That was a hard truth to swallow! One that didn't go down smoothly.

Romans 2:1 says, "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." I don't want people judging me! Every time I cast judgment on someone else, I risk them doing the same to me. My life is certainly not worthy of being under the microscope! Having someone inspect me on the surface level is not fair... no one but me knows the path I took to get to this imperfect life.

So, there it is in a nutshell. Mark 12:29-31 played out in real time. “The most important one (commandment),” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.”

I don't know enough about ANY believer to pass judgment about ANYTHING! There's no way anyone could ever fully comprehend what's happened to me in my messy life, no matter how hard I tried to explain it. And the world is full of people just like me!

I need to accept the fact that others are going to walk in this world wearing their "homeless" clothes. And that's okay. That might be a huge step for them - an accomplishment, an "I'm so proud of myself for stepping outside my door by myself" moment. An "I did this all by myself" moment!

I am trying to embrace the PERSON, without looking at their feet. Because even the best of us are grateful for velcro.

Matthew 7:2 NIV

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.