'Day One' Blog,  As if We Were Family

‘Day One’ Archives – Lenses and Judgements

In a season when I’m daily offered multiple invitations to pass judgment about all manner of things and upon all manner of people, these words from the archives are a good reminder that I be a woman quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

The Lord does not see
as man sees…
~I Samuel 16:7~

A few years back, I drove past a terrible car accident, arriving just after it happened. My husband and I prayed through those moments, shaken by the violent nature of what we saw. In the days that followed, I got to thinking about the ability the many victims would have to fully understand what had happened to them. Of the 100% of information that would tell the whole story, their recollection could be no more than a sliver of that whole. One vantage point, one lens, one angle… Even if they had all the facts perfectly in tow (which never happens), there is no way they could draw any substantive conclusions about the whole of what transpired. The best they could hope for would be a piece, even a good piece of the entire pie.

The reason this is important to me is that I’m constantly drawing conclusions about things, making assessments, and sometimes passing judgment based on my perceptions or recollections.

Omniscient God knows 100% of the entirety of every moment. Even if I could pull that off, I would not be able to contextualize the moment, let alone assess motivation or intent. But God can. Why on earth would I pass judgment based on my own perceptions? I do it all the time, even though it makes no good sense.

Interesting that God does not invite me to seek His counsel in a courtroom or judge’ chambers, but rather in a grace laden throne room; one that I enter because of the immeasurable grace extended to me. Talk about context! God is the only righteous Judge and He assures us He will judge all, in His time.

In the meantime, He is about things far loftier than my desire to draw conclusions or to see justice prevail in the moment. I give some of my best energy to matters that I’m pretty sure aren’t even ON God’s radar. I think He’d prefer those energies to spend themselves in the light of His council.

Should I seek to draw conclusions about things that present in my life? Yes, but not without them being informed by the only One who would know how to accurately draw them.

You are great in counsel
and mighty in work,
for Your eyes are open
to all the ways of the sons of men….
~Jeremiah 32:19~

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