Why Judge?

 

Why Judge?

 

            When it comes down to it, we all judge. It is clearly in our human nature. Society thrives off it. A sense of competition arises when drama surfaces because we all strive to keep our own image protected through speaking critically about our peers and good about ourselves. Who wants to be in a friendship with a person who is conceited, arrogant, and judgmental?  What is the purpose of a long-term friendship when we will be so quick to toss it away when our personal image is put in jeopardy? We care so much about our self-image that we have become addicted to pleasing those who surround us. We will listen to any opinion or comment made by even our closest friends that persuade us to change for them. We should not be changing for them. We should only be changing for one person and that is The Lord. He does not judge and He does not attempt to make us change just because He is not satisfied with who we are. If we are attempting to please people, we are doing it all wrong. We are on this world to be ourselves and to be different in our own unique ways. We were made as individuals and as people who have differences for specific reasons.  In the Bible, Romans 12:2 says that we should not conform to the world. We should be honest with ourselves regarding who we truly are and listen to what God wants us to do. Romans 12:6 says that we all have different gifts, or strengths that we should apply to the world. We all are unique and we all have been given different characteristics that make us one-of-a-kind individuals.  

            We cannot destroy drama or the act of gossiping because it is just part of our daily lives. Sometimes, we will catch ourselves in the situation where we notice that we are speaking negatively about one of our close friends. After reflecting on the motive behind it, the answer usually pertains to who you were surrounded with at the time. We only speak poorly about others when we are trying to help ourselves or to be superior. Either way, they both pertain to impressing the people who are listening. If we never had to impress anyone, we would have no motive to speak harshly about anyone because it would not matter.

            Understand that life is not about impressing people. The one who stands up against the societal norm is the one who will be the trend setter in the future. People will not notice that person as a leader at the beginning, but they will learn. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. were both two noble figures who stood up against the judgments and opinions of others and they were severely discriminated against by a large population, but today they are remembered by their leadership. Being yourself is the correct way. You may think about changing who you are, but do you really need to change or do you want to change because someone persuaded you to? Changing for the good is perfectly fine, especially if you have had an addiction, you are on the low side of life, or you truly have discovered that you need to change. However, changing to please someone or changing to make someone else happy is unacceptable. You are intelligent enough to make your own decisions. You are to be respected and appreciated for who you are. You are someone. You mean a lot to someone out there in this world. You have a purpose. You are unique. You are worthy of each and every thing available to anyone else in this world. You are human and so is everyone else. Do not let the opinions and judgments of others influence you to change being who you truly are. Do not stop being who you have dreamed to be and NEVER allow anyone to bring you down with their negative remarks. The only opinion that matters is that of The Lord. He only judges you for not being true to yourself. Proverbs 1:15 says do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths. Every person in this world is exploring and we are all searching for our ‘calling’. We are all searching for our passion and when we find it, we will be sure of it. You must be confident with who you are and who you will continue to be. If you stay true to yourself, you will find your passion and will understand why you are on this planet. If you conform to the wants of others, you will find yourself on a confusing journey to a destination that may never end and one that may never explain why you were placed in this world. You are someone and you have a purpose. Do not let senseless opinions take you down the wrong path and change you for the bad. Rather, take the constructive opinions of the Lord and build yourself up for what the future holds for you and be proud of who you are.

 

Austin Baker

Twitter: @ABakerPresident

Email: DreamsDriveDetermination@gmail.com