Judging

So I am finally going to sit down and write this post. I haven't really been fighting writing the post just kept putting it off and putting it off. After an incident that happened to me today I figured it was time to write the post.  And God has had this topic on my  mind and heart a lot and I mean a lot lately. It all started awhile ago when I was asked what devotion had left me with the biggest impact from the past year at PWOC, Protestant Women of the Chapel, and it was all about judging. I am not, by any means saying that I haven't judged because I have in many different ways,but God has been opening my eyes to it more and more and today he hit me hard. 

Here is what God says about judging: 

Matthew 7: 1-5, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank  in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

It is hard when you live in a small area and pretty much know who everyone is and vice versa. And when there is even a fewer number of kids in the area it can get even more interesting. I got judged today for how we are raising Zane. I will be the first to admit that he doesn't listen as well as he could or always follow directions but he is 5 and still learning, as am I. I will also say that he doesn't always behave appropriately either but we are using those situations to learn and change how we do handle those not so great times.  I have criticized others, not to them directly, but still did it, about how they are raising their children and well God opened my eyes by using my own child and showed me the errors of my ways. I am not criticizing anymore as we all choose to do what is best for our child and our family. What works for one child might not always work for another child as they are all different. And more importantly we have to do what God wants us to do. There are times when it is harder to get through the day and I have say, "when does school start?" but am also thankful for the time I am getting to spend with Zane.  How we choose to raise and punish our child is our business and God's. I ask God daily to teach me to be the mother to Zane that God wants me to be and I pray for Zane as well.   It is easy to judge because we all think we know what is best but that usually not the case. Things don't also happen over night as we wish that they would. There are times when it is harder because we want or think that those changes should happen over night. It would make things easier if they did happen overnight! 

I am not going to share what happened as that is between me and the other person but it is hard. I really do think of them as a friend and value our friendship. I am praying that God can heal what has been broken. When you choose to judge others the outcomes can be very hurtful so keep in mind what you say and how you say it so that you don't find yourself in current pair of shoes. I will be doing a lot of praying and will leave it all at the feet of God.