Before We Judge

Heavenly Father, help us remember that the person who cut us off in traffic last night, may be a single mother/father who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry, and spend a few precious moments with their children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change correctly, is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum begging for money in the same spot every day is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress, are savoring this moment knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is "love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is not enough just to share that love with those we hold dear, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, showing patience, empathy, and love, in Jesus' name we pray. —Author Unknown

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets