Judging

Let me take a poll, who out there is perfect? Your options are "I am" or "I am not." And the "I" in these options is not for me, T.J., but for each reader individually.

Now, for anyone who says (and absolutely believes) "I am", let me direct you to: 2 Nephi 9:34.

A while back, I wrote a post about the topic of perfection. I gave permission (psh, like it's mine to give) to everyone to not be perfect.


But this topic is back on my mind again.

Now, let's adjust my original: Who do you know that is perfect? Your options are "He is", "She is", "They are", "You are", and "No one currently on this planet."

And let's go with what the results are supposed to be: 100% of the answers better be "No one currently on this planet" or, well, everyone not saying that is just wrong. Especially if anyone said "You are" which refers to me. (Psh, you obviously don't know me.)

LDS Hymn number 220 is "Lord, I Would Follow Thee". I have always been fond of the second verse which reads:

Who am I to judge another

When I walk imperfectly?

In the quiet heart is hidden

Sorrow that the eye can't see.

Who am I to judge another?

I love all the words in this. There are those of us who judge others as being worse. But funny enough, there are those of us who judge others as better than we are. The 3rd and 4th line to this verse is something we all would do well to repeat. "In the quiet heart is hidden/Sorrow that the eye can't see."

We have no idea the sorrows and worries and concerns that befall someone. Whether that be our bishop, or our next door neighbor, or someone we see for five seconds and think, "That person just seems so perfect." Honestly, there is no doubt in my mind that we don't know the whole story.

That's why it's unhealthy to judge someone, whether we see them as better or worse than we are. Honestly, there's a whole lot we don't know. And even if we do know them, that doesn't give us a right to judge them. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ said "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Matthew 7: 1-2)

Sure, we can gauge how vulnerable we are with a person. Our trust is important to us. I try to use the Spirit to guide who I trust and to what extent. That doesn't mean I'm never wrong. But really, in my opinion, judging goes to labels and how we label someone.

Fat. Ugly. Stupid. Ditz. Lame. Dumb. Lazy. Goody-two-shoes. Perfect. Better than me. Holy. Infallible. Accomplished. Rich. These are all judgments. And all words to avoid. Not just because it's unfair to the other person, but honestly, it's unfair to us.

Final words: judging others positively puts them on an unwanted pedestal. Judging others negatively puts us on an undeserving one.

Alien abductions are involuntary, but probings are scheduled.