Article November 29, 1930 Issue

"Judge not"

GWENDOLYN M. L. THOMAS

Most persons participate in the common practice of judging others. It seems very easy to slip into the habit of erroneous judgement, labeling one as indolent, another as selfish or ungrateful, and so on through all the list of mortal failings. And yet how little the one who judges others likes unkind judgment of himself! In the sunshine of love and trust we can all blossom and even put forth fruit; but when the chill winds of criticism blow, we shiver and begin to wonder whether it is possible for us to flower. So, through harsh judgment, sad hearts are made sadder and timid ones more fearful.

Children, who so often teach us helpful lessons, may well be observed in this respect. For illustration: a school girl was once sent to a distant city to board with a stranger. Thinking her hostess kind and interesting, she was very happy in her temporary home. Years afterwards she was amazed to be told that others esteemed her one-time guardian very differently, calling her penurious, spiteful, and disagreeable in the extreme. Thinking it over one can only suppose that innocence and ready affection had obtained a glimpse of the true character, and that happiness had been the result.

To avoid judging erroneously and unkindly we must become both more childlike and more attentive to our thought-processes. Most of us desire to live up to Jesus' commandment, "Judge not;" but if uninstructed in the things of God we find it almost impossible to do so. We judge as we see, according to worldly knowledge, and oftentimes with grave results. But on the whole mankind would like to be kinder, would like to find a remedy for the sins of the world, and would also like to achieve righteous judgment.

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