White rocks and red flowers  

 

Isaiah 11:3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear.

                                                                                                                                                                                              Luke 6:36-37 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

 

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

Each day on my way to work I pass a house on a busy intersection that brings to mind stories from recent headlines: a deserted-looking ramshackle house with a secluded backyard hiding something the owner doesn’t want us to see. This particular home has several sheets of plywood joined together with insulation foam, haphazardly framing the yard. Where the plywood doesn’t reach, there is bright blue tarp tacked up to prevent anyone from seeing into the yard. The home itself appears abandoned...broken windows, shrubbery growing into and on the house. And then that “fence”.

 

I don’t know who lives there, but I can imagine. Someone with something to hide, someone potentially dangerous. I’ve judged this person based on the appearance of their home and yard.

 

One day about a month ago, I noticed something new in the back, near the garage…a pathway of white rocks with a planter of red plastic flowers. Something about the arrangement implied care and an appreciation for beauty, even though it was small and simple.

 

Now, I still don’t know this person and I’m not saying just because there is now a pathway and flowers it must mean the owner is a loving, caring individual. But, maybe there are other reasons for a “hidden” yard. Maybe just being at a busy intersection is enough to crave a bit of privacy. I don’t know. I just feel like God was telling me: Wait a minute: Things are not always as they appear. Give others a chance. Don’t judge. Show mercy. So now, when I’m tempted to make a quick judgment on someone, I think “white rocks and red flowers”. Try it! You can even use my personal phrase.

 

Prayer: Lord, help us to notice others and not judge. We may find it helpful to make sense of the world around us and the people in it by judging them, but keep us open to your creation and what we can find in each individual. Give us open minds and hearts. Help us love others as you have loved us. Amen.

 

Contributed by Donna Gustafson