This I believe...

How often are you tempted to point out or talk about someone you dislike?  I come across people in life that I hate so much I couldn't care less about what happened to them, but there is also a big sign flashing around my eyes, warning me of something I don't notice: hate. Hate is a very easy thing for me to do.  I can hate a person just by getting one look at them; but before hate comes as my final resolution, there's one 

thing that comes before it.  It is prejudging, which my brain results to.  It's almost as if I was we

aring a pair of those high-tech computerized sunglasses and analyzing the person with an invisible laser.  Though I do realize how harmful they are being to my soul, I still take the risk to wear them 'just for a moment, then I'll take them off.'

I tend to prejudge people depending on their facial expression too.  If the person is happy, then I'll say something; but if the person looks upset, I won't say anything.  I don't always know what expression I'm wearing on my face, but 

I know that what people see on the cover is not necessarily what is on the inside.  That's what I've been practicing for the previous months.  I assume that people may not be thinking what I'm assuming they're

 thinking.  I have also come to learn another lesson from one experience.  I remember walking in the AH building hallway, always crossing this girl that I thought must really hate everyone.  She has short dark hair curving at the bottom of her jaws, blue stern eyes behind her rectangular glasses, and a five feet two inches height.  Every time I walked by her, she rarely looked happy and would always give me the 'I despise you' stare; but just a week ago, I asked her one simple question to know if a teacher was in her room.  Her kind tone made me flip my assumptions about her upside down.  I noticed she still had the same stern expression, but her tone revealed such kindness and honesty.

This and other experiences have taught me not to judge people from what they appear to be like, and also not to judge people just because of their actions.  It is true that I have the choice of friends I hang out with, but I don't earn the right to judge the people I don't like.  It all belongs to God, and He doesn't need

 my assistance.  I have learned to not look at the wrong-doing  in my

neighbor's eye before having seen and corrected my own, because all these assumptions grow into pride, making me think that I'm better than some people.  But I know that being proud is only believing in my own lies, making me fall deeper into the pit.  I know I'm not perfect, which I will never be.  But God has made known to me a good way of identifying my own mistakes before looking at others.