Seeing People Through Eyes Of Love

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:36.759 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.240 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.399 blessing and share it with. 0:01:40.360 --> 0:01:43.720 A friends, reappreciate you and pray for God's very best 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:58.520 in your life. Well, God bless you always a joy 0:01:58.600 --> 0:02:00.760 to come into your homes. We loved you and we 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:03.000 prayed for you every single day. And if you ever 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:05.240 in our area, hope you'll stop by and be a 0:02:05.240 --> 0:02:07.640 part of one of our services. I promise you we'll 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.040 make you feel right at home. But thanks so much 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:12.320 for tuning in, and thank you again for coming out. 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:14.600 And I like to start with something funny each week. 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:17.760 And I heard about this airplane that was about to crash. 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:23.200 Had four passengers but only three parachutes. The first passenger said, 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:27.360 I'm a leading heart surgeon. My patients need me. He 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:30.760 took the first parachute and jumped. The second passenger said, 0:02:30.919 --> 0:02:34.440 I'm a rocket scientist, one of the smartest men alive. 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:38.200 My country needs me. He took the second parachute and jumped. 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:41.840 The third passenger was Pope John Paul. He said to 0:02:41.880 --> 0:02:45.079 the fourth passenger, a ten year old boy scout, son, 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:47.480 I'm old and frell I don't have a lot of 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:50.720 time left. Go ahead and take this last parachute. The 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:53.560 ten year old boy scout said, sir, don't worry about it. 0:02:53.680 --> 0:02:57.120 There are still two parachutes left. You see, the smartest 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.520 man alive just jumped out with my backpack. 0:03:01.440 --> 0:03:03.840 Hold up your bibles. Say it like you mean it. 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:07.320 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:09.200 I have what it says I have. 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:12.400 I can do what it says I can do today, 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:15.359 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 0:03:15.400 --> 0:03:19.600 confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 0:03:19.639 --> 0:03:23.560 will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God bless you. 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:27.600 I want to talk to you today about seeing people 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:31.800 through your eyes of love. Too often we judge people 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:35.560 without knowing their story. We haven't walked in their shoes. 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:38.720 We don't know the struggles they've been through. We don't 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:41.520 know how they were raised, We don't know the challenges 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.800 that they're facing right now. All we know is he 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:48.320 sure is unfriendly. She shouldn't wear that, and he's got 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:50.760 hang ups, And I don't know why they act that way. 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:51.640 Now. 0:03:51.640 --> 0:03:54.640 The truth is, there's a reason people are the way 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:57.960 they are. If we took time to know their story, 0:03:58.480 --> 0:03:59.920 we would be much more forgiving. 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:03.200 If we understood the battles. 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:06.120 They fought, the pain they've endured, the people that have 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:09.320 done them wrong, we would give them a lot more mercy. 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:12.680 We wouldn't be critical because they went through a divorce, 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:16.359 or they've got an addiction, or they were unfriendly and 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:19.400 didn't speak to me. No, you don't know what's going 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:22.560 on behind the scenes. You don't know that the stress 0:04:22.640 --> 0:04:25.839 that they're under. For too long, we've seen people through 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:26.719 eyes of judgment. 0:04:27.279 --> 0:04:28.400 My challenge is. 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:32.520 Let's start seeing people through our eyes of love. Instead 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:35.880 of being critical and writing them off, take time to 0:04:35.920 --> 0:04:38.760 get to know them, find out what they're all about. 0:04:39.560 --> 0:04:43.480 God puts people in our lives not to judge, but 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:47.039 so that we can help bring healing. Every time you 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:50.920 show mercy, every time you overlook a fault, when you 0:04:50.960 --> 0:04:54.600 give people the benefit of the doubt, you're bringing hope, healing, 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:58.520 restoration to that person. I remember in high school a 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:01.440 young man moved to our city, joined the basketball team, 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:05.040 and he was very good, but he was extremely quiet. 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.800 He had a different personality. We all thought he was odd, 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:11.520 never laughed with us. He just stayed over in the 0:05:11.520 --> 0:05:13.760 corner and did his own thing, never really joined in. 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:16.280 One day, it was just he and I in the 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.080 locker room, and I'd never really spoken to him before, 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.200 and just to be friendly, I said, Hey, where'd you 0:05:22.240 --> 0:05:22.560 come from? 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:23.560 Where'd you grow up? 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:27.640 I'll never forget how sincere he was. He began to 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.159 open up and tell how he came out of a 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:34.760 very dysfunctional home. He had been passed from family to family, 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:39.120 six different foster homes in three years. All this hurt 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:43.840 pain insecurity. Once I understood where he was coming from, 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:46.760 I saw him in a whole new light. I got 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:49.640 my friends and we made sure to include him. 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:52.040 We went the extra mile to make him. 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:55.520 Feel loved, accepted, welcome, and as a part of our team. 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:58.960 And over the years I watched how he came out 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:03.359 of his shell, became more confident, more secure. By the 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:05.880 time we graduated, he's just like the rest of us, 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:10.160 as happy and friendly as can be. When you understand 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.680 people's story, it's very. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.000 Easy to overlook things. 0:06:14.520 --> 0:06:17.440 When I found out why he was the way he was, 0:06:17.800 --> 0:06:21.479 it changed my perspective. Now I realized, it's easy for 0:06:21.560 --> 0:06:23.839 me to be secure and happy. 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:25.880 I was raised in a good environment. 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:29.320 It's easy for me to be confident and expect good things. 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:33.440 I've been surrounded by loving people. But if I didn't 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:37.520 have this background, I don't know how I would respond. 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:42.120 Too often we judge people based on our own background 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:46.320 and on the experiences we've been through. If we're strong 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:49.599 in an area where somebody is weak, it's easy to 0:06:49.640 --> 0:06:52.520 think I would never do that. I would never be 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:54.920 as unfriendly as that young man I would have never 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:57.080 gotten a divorce. I'd have never married that person in 0:06:57.080 --> 0:06:59.280 the first place. Joel, No, you don't know what you 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:01.919 would have done. You haven't walked in their shoes. You 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.040 weren't raised in their environment, you haven't been through their 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:06.640 same experiences. 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:09.400 All of us have strengths. 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:12.320 And we all have weaknesses, and we are strong in 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:16.160 certain areas. Not because we're great and we just decided 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.280 to be strong. No, it's because of the grace of 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:23.400 God on our lives. I am secure and confident because 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:26.840 God blessed me with great parents. I cannot judge that 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:28.400 young man that was unfriendly. 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:30.160 I haven't walked in his shoes. 0:07:30.680 --> 0:07:32.880 I don't know if I would handle it as good 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.720 as he did. Instead of being holier than now and 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:39.040 judging people, our attitude. 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:41.120 Should be but for the grace of God, that could 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:41.360 be me. 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:44.680 If it was not for God's goodness, I could be 0:07:44.720 --> 0:07:48.600 struggling with an addiction. I could be insecure, angry, dealing 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:51.400 with all kinds of issues. I'm not going to judge. 0:07:51.480 --> 0:07:54.320 I'm going to show mercy. I'm not going to be critical. 0:07:54.640 --> 0:07:58.480 I'm going to be understanding. After all, we don't know 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:02.559 what people are going through. We've got to give people room. 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:06.160 My father used to say, everyone has the right to 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:09.280 have a bad day. We can either see them through 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:12.720 eyes of judgment and be hard and critical, or we 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:15.360 can see them through eyes of love, eyes of mercy, 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:16.560 eyes of understanding. 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:17.760 Here's the key. 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:20.920 The way you see other people is the way they're 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:21.680 going to see you. 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:24.840 If you're hard and critical when. 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:27.400 They do wrong, you make sure they get what they deserve, 0:08:28.080 --> 0:08:30.640 then those same seeds that you're sowing are going to 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:32.839 come back to you. People are going to be hard 0:08:32.920 --> 0:08:35.760 and critical and not show you any mercy. But when 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:41.520 you're kind forgiving, compassionate, merciful, when you give people room, 0:08:41.720 --> 0:08:43.760 when you realize they're not a bad person, they're just 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.120 dealing with some issues, then people are going to be 0:08:46.200 --> 0:08:48.320 kind forgiving merciful back to you. 0:08:49.000 --> 0:08:50.920 Now, I think one of the greatest. 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:53.480 Traits that we can all develop is to believe the 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:57.400 best in people. We can all criticize, we can all 0:08:57.440 --> 0:09:00.640 find fault. People are human, they're going to make mistakes, 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:03.960 they're going to do things we don't understand. But the 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:09.280 scripture says love overlooks a person's faults. Love makes allowances 0:09:09.280 --> 0:09:13.520 for people's weaknesses. Love doesn't magnify a mistake. 0:09:14.000 --> 0:09:15.560 Love covers a mistake. 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:19.560 Now, im mature person will not take an offense and 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:22.200 run with it. They won't magnify it and say, let 0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:23.920 me call ten friends and tell. 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:24.440 You what they did. 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:28.040 Now, when you're full of mercy, you'll downplay it. 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:29.600 You'll be their defender. 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:33.320 You'll even be willing to suffer the wrong, knowing that 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:35.960 they weren't up to par I had a good friend 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:39.079 tell me a while back how his boss jumped down 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.440 his throat for no reason. He hadn't done anything wrong, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:44.920 and his boss just let him have it in front 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.040 of the whole sales staff. Embarrassed him, and he was 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:51.319 all upset about it. I told him what I'm telling you, 0:09:51.760 --> 0:09:54.000 just give the boss the benefit of the doubt. 0:09:54.320 --> 0:09:55.480 Something else is going on. 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:58.800 He found out two weeks later that his boss was 0:09:58.840 --> 0:10:02.439 going through a divorce. It gave him a whole new perspective. 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:06.360 Now he understands why he was so uptight, why he 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:09.760 was on edge, and instead of taking it personally, now 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:13.440 he's making allowances. He's showing him mercy. He's doing what 0:10:13.520 --> 0:10:17.520 he can to help lighten the load. Most of the time, 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:20.600 if someone is not up to par There's a very 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:24.640 good reason. We don't know what's going on behind closed doors. 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:28.600 We don't know the heartache, the pain that they've pushed down. Now, 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.240 they're doing the best they can to just keep it together. 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:34.160 The last thing they need is for one of us 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:36.600 to come dump a whole nother load on them. 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:37.240 Now. 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:40.520 God puts people in our life like that, not to judge, 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:43.520 not to condemn, not to be critical. God put them 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:47.160 there so you can help love them back into wholeness. 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:49.199 Where are the healers? 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:53.000 Where are the people that will be sensitive to recognize 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:56.160 when somebody's hurting, People that will step up and say, 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:59.280 I can tell you stressed out. I can tell you're 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:01.640 not up to par is. There anything I can do 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:04.480 to help? Can I pray for you? Can I buy 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:06.560 your dinner? Can I come over and encourage you? 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:11.520 Let's stop judging people and let's start healing people. Years ago, 0:11:11.640 --> 0:11:13.199 I was in a grocery store. 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:16.400 Waiting in line to check out, and there were eight 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:18.400 or nine people in front of me, and the girl 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:21.120 at the register was about twenty years old, and she 0:11:21.280 --> 0:11:24.600 was very stressed out and very short with people. You 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:27.320 could tell that she didn't want to be there. Several 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.000 of the customers when she was rude to them, they 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:31.719 were just as rude back to her. 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:33.280 It's a very tense situation. 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:35.960 There was a problem with the register, she had to 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:36.800 call the manager. 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:39.600 Then she needed a price check. It was taken forever. 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:43.040 People were getting more and more aggravated, and she was 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:44.760 becoming more and more rude. 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:48.160 And yes, she was wrong, she should not act that way. 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:51.800 But I knew it was something deeper, and I thought, 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:53.880 I'm not going to be a part of the problem. 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:55.480 I'm going to be a part of the solution. 0:11:56.000 --> 0:11:58.440 This girl's got enough trouble and heartache and stress in 0:11:58.440 --> 0:11:58.840 her life. 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:00.880 I'm not going to make it work. When I got 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:01.680 up there, I just. 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:05.520 Very kindly and quietly began to encourage her. Said, hey, 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:07.440 I can tell you stressed out and these people are 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:09.400 giving you a hard time, But I want you to 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:12.480 know that everything is gonna be all right. God has 0:12:12.520 --> 0:12:14.600 you in the palm of his hand. He knows what 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:17.240 you're going through, and he's already got the solution. It's 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:20.720 all going to work out. Big tears started coming down 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:23.880 her cheeks. She said, my baby is in the hospital 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:26.880 and I'm so worried and my husband got laid off. 0:12:26.920 --> 0:12:29.040 I don't know how we're gonna make it. I said, well, 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:30.719 let's pray about it. Right there in front of the 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:33.439 grocery store. We prayed, and when I got finished, the 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.719 lady in line behind me came and gave her a 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:38.959 big huff. The next man he said, my good friend 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:41.320 is the head nurse at that hospital. I'm gonna call 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:43.400 her and ask her to go check on your baby. 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:47.080 The whole atmosphere changed when we heard her story. 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:48.400 It all made sense. 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:53.839 We realized why she was so uptight before I left. 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:56.840 She said, you'll never know what this is meant to me. 0:12:57.800 --> 0:13:02.520 The scripture says Proverbs fifteen four. A gentle tongue brings healing. 0:13:03.280 --> 0:13:06.839 It's amazing what a few kind words can do. It's 0:13:06.880 --> 0:13:08.680 amazing what impact. 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:08.640 It can have. 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:12.200 When you tell somebody, hey, everything's going to be all right. 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:15.360 I'm praying for you. I believe in you. You've got 0:13:15.400 --> 0:13:19.880 good days up ahead. Those words have healing power. But 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:22.800 when somebody's rude to us, it's easy to respond back 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:26.360 the same way. But instead of judging them, if you 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:29.280 will first step into their shoes, it will help you 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:31.679 to put on the right set of eyes, eyes of 0:13:31.760 --> 0:13:35.000 love and not eyes of judgment. And this doesn't mean 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:38.960 that we're excusing their behavior. What they're doing may be wrong, 0:13:39.440 --> 0:13:41.560 it may be their fault. They may have brought the 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:45.439 trouble on themselves. But I've learned I'm not the judge. 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.760 God is the judge. I'm not here to straighten everybody out. 0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:52.400 I'm here to help bring healing. Our job is to 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:55.520 pour the healing oil on the wounds. Our job is 0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:58.440 to lift the falling, to be a friend to the lonely. 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:00.160 To encourage the discourage. 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:04.439 When you take this merciful approach and instead of giving 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:08.560 them what they deserve, he say, hey, I understand they're 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:11.160 not having a good day. I understand they're under a 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:14.480 lot of stress. I understand life's not treating them fair. 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:18.600 That's what helps to start the healing process. Heard a 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:21.520 story about this farmer. He was an older gentleman and 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:24.160 he had some puppies that he wanted to sell. He 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:27.080 put a sign on his fence out front. The next day, 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:29.680 the little boy from across the street came over. He 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.440 was about eight years old. He said, mister, I want 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:35.120 to buy one of your puppies. The little boy pulled 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:37.320 out a pocket full of change. He said, I got 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:38.400 thirty nine cents. 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:41.080 Is that enough? Farmer kind of laughed, He said, I 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:42.120 don't know, Let me count it. 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:44.840 He counted it coin by coin he said, that's exactly 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.640 the right amountain. He called the worker over there in 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:50.520 the barn, told him to let the little puppies out 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.640 of their cage for the cutest little fur balls you 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:56.240 could ever imagine came running toward the little boy and 0:14:56.640 --> 0:14:59.200 he reached down begin to play with them, trying to 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:01.960 figure out which on one he wanted to buy. About 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:05.800 that time, he saw another little puppy sliding down the 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.840 ramp of the cage where the other puppies had run. 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:12.560 There was something wrong with this puppy's back legs. When 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:15.640 it ran, all it could do was hobble along, and 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:19.479 the little boy was immediately drawn to it. Without hesitation, 0:15:19.800 --> 0:15:22.520 he said to the farmer, that's the puppy that I want. 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:25.960 The farmer was puzzled. He said, no, son, you don't 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:26.880 want this puppy. 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:29.280 It'll never be able to run and play like the 0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:32.240 rest of the children. There's something wrong with this back legs. 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:33.560 The little boy. 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.120 Reached down and begin to roll up his blue jeans. 0:15:36.400 --> 0:15:40.280 When he did, it revealed steel braces on each side 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:41.080 of his legs. 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:42.840 With two specially made shoes. 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:45.920 He said to the farmer, you see I don't run 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:51.840 well either. This puppy is going to need someone that understands. Friends, 0:15:54.280 --> 0:15:58.800 this world is full of people that needs someone that understands. 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:02.040 We don't know what people are going through. We don't 0:16:02.040 --> 0:16:05.280 know the hurt, the pain that they've endured. They may 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:07.760 be different and have hang ups and they're not like us, 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:09.160 and they shouldn't be doing that. 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:11.480 That's okay, give them a little room. 0:16:11.840 --> 0:16:14.680 If you took time to know their story, then you 0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:17.920 wouldn't be critical. If you would first walk in their shoes, 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:18.680 you would. 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:21.200 Find out why they are the way they are. 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:24.280 Remember when I was growing up, there was a man 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:25.160 at our church. 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:27.320 It's about thirty years old. 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:31.680 And he was always dancing during the service, just like clockwork. 0:16:31.720 --> 0:16:34.120 As soon as the music started, his hands would go 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.240 up in the air, his feet would get to dancing. 0:16:36.640 --> 0:16:38.920 I was about ten years old and some of my 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:41.840 friends and I I'll tell you my sins, we would 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:44.960 sit over in the youth section and we would make 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:48.880 fun of this guy. We just thought he was so odd, 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:50.880 and we would even watch before service. 0:16:50.920 --> 0:16:52.000 Where is he, y'all? Where is he? 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:52.200 There? 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:53.840 He is over there, we get a good view. Okay, okay, 0:16:53.840 --> 0:16:55.960 here goes to music. There goes his hands, there goes 0:16:55.960 --> 0:16:56.880 his legs, and. 0:16:56.720 --> 0:17:00.160 We just couldn't understand why he was always so excited, why. 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.160 He was dancing. Well, you got to know my father. 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:05.480 One day, my dad called him up on the platform 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:08.679 and asked him to tell his story. And all of 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:12.040 our young years were listening so intently. We're gonna finally 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:15.399 find out what made him so strange, why he danced 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:18.480 all the time. Well, he began to tell how he 0:17:18.600 --> 0:17:21.800 never knew his father, his mother committed suicide at an 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:25.120 early age, and he grew up a angry, bitter no direction, 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:28.600 no purpose in life. But he said he came into 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:31.679 Lakewood and he got his life turned around, and he 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:32.920 got a good job, and. 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:34.040 He was about to get married. 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:36.400 And he said, when I think about all God's done 0:17:36.400 --> 0:17:38.359 for me, I just can't be still. 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:43.520 My arms go up in the air. He said, when 0:17:43.560 --> 0:17:44.320 the music. 0:17:44.080 --> 0:17:46.560 Start, my legs just go to dance, and I'm so happy. 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:48.080 I just got to give God praise. 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:51.119 Well, when we heard that we felt about that big 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:54.200 Do you know we never made fun of him? 0:17:54.200 --> 0:17:54.480 Again? 0:17:55.560 --> 0:17:59.560 When you walk in somebody's shoes, when you hear their story, 0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:02.679 it'll give you a new perspective. Could it be the 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:06.760 person you're being judgmental toward has a good reason for 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:07.600 the way he is. 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:09.480 Maybe he's got an addiction. 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:12.879 You attempted to ride him off, to be critical, But 0:18:13.000 --> 0:18:15.320 have you walked in his shoes? Do you know how 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:18.400 he was raised? Do you know the battles that he's fought. 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:21.880 Maybe that lady is not where she should be, but 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.320 do you know what's going on behind the scenes? 0:18:24.320 --> 0:18:26.479 Do you know how she was treated? Do you know 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:28.560 the experiences that have made. 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:31.160 Her into who she is today? Most of the time, 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:32.600 we don't know all the facts. 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:33.560 And here's the key. 0:18:33.960 --> 0:18:37.040 Even if they are wrong, God did not put us 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:40.119 here to condemn them. What's going to help them to 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:44.359 turn around and get back on the right track is mercy, forgiveness, 0:18:44.520 --> 0:18:48.920 being understanding. When we're hard and critical, that doesn't bring healing, 0:18:49.320 --> 0:18:52.480 that doesn't lift people up, that just pushes them further down. 0:18:53.359 --> 0:18:56.600 And dealing with people for several years, thousands of people, 0:18:56.760 --> 0:18:59.520 one thing I can tell you is ninety nine point 0:18:59.640 --> 0:19:00.720 nine percent of. 0:19:00.720 --> 0:19:02.760 People are not bad people. 0:19:03.280 --> 0:19:06.480 They may make poor choices, but deep down they've got 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:09.159 a good heart. They want to do what's right, and 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:11.520 if we could just see them through our eyes of love, 0:19:11.960 --> 0:19:13.879 we can be the ones to help them come up 0:19:13.960 --> 0:19:16.880 higher and still fulfill their God given destiny. 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:19.480 The longer I live. 0:19:19.760 --> 0:19:23.120 The less judgmental I become. I had a man tell 0:19:23.119 --> 0:19:25.720 me after the service a while back, Joel, that was 0:19:25.760 --> 0:19:29.320 a hell of a sermon today. Do you know that 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:32.040 didn't offend me. I thought the sermon was good too. 0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:36.919 That just told me he wasn't raised like I was. 0:19:37.720 --> 0:19:39.520 So the way I grew up. If you said hell, 0:19:39.760 --> 0:19:43.760 that meant you were going there. But I found out 0:19:43.800 --> 0:19:47.399 that his parents owned bars. So when I grew up 0:19:47.440 --> 0:19:49.560 as a little boy hanging out in the church, he 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:50.800 was hanging out in the bars. 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:53.720 I'm not going to be holier than now. I know. 0:19:53.840 --> 0:19:55.639 If it were not for the grace of God, I 0:19:55.680 --> 0:19:57.600 wouldn't be where I am today. 0:19:58.200 --> 0:20:00.399 Well, you say, Joel, that girl that. 0:20:00.400 --> 0:20:03.879 Comes to your church, she's got a bad reputation. Do 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:06.200 you know what she does? No, but I would rather 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:07.760 her be here than out on the street. 0:20:07.800 --> 0:20:08.200 Somewhere. 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:12.040 I would rather her be here than hanging out in 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:12.600 the clubs. 0:20:13.440 --> 0:20:16.320 Jesus said, it's the sick who need the doctor, not 0:20:16.440 --> 0:20:17.520 the well. 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:22.520 Our churches should not be museums to display perfect people. 0:20:22.800 --> 0:20:25.679 They should be hospitals to help the herding and the lonely. 0:20:29.040 --> 0:20:33.280 Here's the thing. Before you judge that young lady, let 0:20:33.320 --> 0:20:35.800 me ask you. Have you walked in her shoes? Do 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:36.800 you know her story? 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:39.880 Did she have good parents that gave her wisdom, guidance 0:20:40.119 --> 0:20:42.760 that made her feel valuable in love? Or did she 0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:45.679 have people that were taking advantage of Have you tried 0:20:45.680 --> 0:20:49.080 to see life from her perspective. We've got to give 0:20:49.119 --> 0:20:52.040 people a little room while they're in the process of changing. 0:20:52.480 --> 0:20:55.520 Maybe she's here trying to get her life turned around. 0:20:56.200 --> 0:20:59.240 Maybe God put that person at the office next to 0:20:59.320 --> 0:21:02.400 you so you could judge them, but so you could 0:21:02.480 --> 0:21:06.120 help love them back into wholeness. Now our attitude should 0:21:06.200 --> 0:21:10.240 be God, how can I help this person come up higher? 0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:13.719 What can I do to inspire them to become better? 0:21:14.280 --> 0:21:17.520 How can I make them feel more loved, more accepted, 0:21:17.880 --> 0:21:21.520 more valuable, more secure friends? The closest thing to the 0:21:21.560 --> 0:21:27.160 heart of God is helping hurting people. The same love, mercy, understanding, 0:21:27.240 --> 0:21:30.480 compassion you give to others, that's the amount God's going 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:34.080 to give back to you. Romans fifteen one says, you 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:37.960 who are strong, you who are mature, are to bear 0:21:38.040 --> 0:21:41.800 with those that are weak. That means you're going to 0:21:41.840 --> 0:21:43.159 have to put up with some things. 0:21:43.600 --> 0:21:44.359 You're going to have. 0:21:44.280 --> 0:21:47.639 To overlook some faults. We have to make allowances for 0:21:47.680 --> 0:21:52.400 people's weaknesses. Bottom line is this, Be generous with your mercy, 0:21:52.920 --> 0:21:56.040 show acceptance to everyone, not just the people that are 0:21:56.080 --> 0:21:59.840 like you. Heard a story about a young college student 0:22:00.280 --> 0:22:03.359 named Bill. He was known on campus for his wild 0:22:03.480 --> 0:22:06.240 hair and the way he dressed. He wore a T 0:22:06.440 --> 0:22:09.720 shirt with holes in it, blue jeans, and sandals every day. 0:22:09.960 --> 0:22:12.280 He was a very sharp young man, a straight a student. 0:22:12.400 --> 0:22:14.800 He was just a little different. One day he went 0:22:14.840 --> 0:22:18.000 to a campus ministry event and his heart was touched 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:20.920 and he gave his life to Christ. And they encouraged 0:22:20.960 --> 0:22:23.159 him to get into a good church. And it just 0:22:23.200 --> 0:22:26.359 so happened. There was a church right across the street. 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:27.119 From the university. 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:31.119 It was a very formal church, very conservative, very well 0:22:31.200 --> 0:22:35.040 dressed people. The next Sunday, Bill walked in the service 0:22:35.119 --> 0:22:38.719 a few minutes late. The little church was packed. Couldn't 0:22:38.720 --> 0:22:41.480 find a seat. He walked down the center aisle toward 0:22:41.560 --> 0:22:43.520 the platform. Of course, he was in his old T 0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:46.760 shirt and blue jeans and his sandals, and he went 0:22:46.880 --> 0:22:48.280 row by roe, couldn't find a seat. 0:22:48.320 --> 0:22:50.480 Finally got to the front row. Still no place to sit. 0:22:50.760 --> 0:22:54.000 So Bill sat down right on the floor in the 0:22:54.000 --> 0:22:56.720 center of the altar area. And he wasn't trying to 0:22:56.720 --> 0:22:59.200 be disrespectful, He just didn't know any better. 0:22:59.240 --> 0:23:01.080 This is what he would have done in college. 0:23:01.560 --> 0:23:04.080 About that time, the head deacon got up from the 0:23:04.160 --> 0:23:07.959 back of the auditorium started walking down toward Bill. This 0:23:08.040 --> 0:23:12.359 head deacon was in his eighties, very distinguished gentleman, silver 0:23:12.440 --> 0:23:16.800 hair glasses, wearing a very expensive suit. He walked slowly 0:23:16.840 --> 0:23:19.240 down the aisle with his cane. There was such a 0:23:19.280 --> 0:23:21.639 commotion that the minister had to stop his sermon and 0:23:21.840 --> 0:23:24.720 wait for him to get down there. Everyone was thinking, 0:23:25.080 --> 0:23:28.240 you can't blame this head deacon for wanting to correct 0:23:28.240 --> 0:23:28.920 the situation. 0:23:29.440 --> 0:23:30.440 After all, you. 0:23:30.359 --> 0:23:33.520 Can't expect a man of his age and that comes 0:23:33.520 --> 0:23:37.080 from his background, to ever understand a young college student 0:23:37.359 --> 0:23:40.800 sitting on the floor in our very formal church. When 0:23:40.800 --> 0:23:43.560 he got there, he laid his cane down, and very 0:23:43.720 --> 0:23:48.199 slowly and with great difficulty, this head deacon lowered himself 0:23:48.280 --> 0:23:51.399 to the floor and sat down next to Bill so 0:23:51.480 --> 0:23:52.600 he wouldn't have to sit. 0:23:52.440 --> 0:23:55.800 There all alone. The whole church erupted in applause. 0:23:57.200 --> 0:24:00.840 The minister said, the sermon you hear me speak today, 0:24:01.400 --> 0:24:04.080 you'll remember maybe for a week or two, but the 0:24:04.119 --> 0:24:06.960 sermon you just saw you will remember for the rest 0:24:06.960 --> 0:24:11.480 of your life. And when we see people through eyes 0:24:11.520 --> 0:24:15.440 of love, eyes of compassion, eyes of understanding, we won't 0:24:15.440 --> 0:24:19.040 be near as critical. Instead of being quick to judge, 0:24:19.200 --> 0:24:20.760 will be quick to give people. 0:24:20.480 --> 0:24:21.600 The benefit of the doubt. 0:24:22.359 --> 0:24:26.080 That deacon, that older gentleman, he realized that Bill wasn't 0:24:26.160 --> 0:24:29.680 raised like me. He doesn't come from my same background. 0:24:29.920 --> 0:24:32.840 He didn't come out of my same value system. Once 0:24:32.880 --> 0:24:37.040 he stepped into Bill's shoes, he understood where he was 0:24:37.080 --> 0:24:40.959 coming from. Years ago, there was a young boy named Teddy. 0:24:41.480 --> 0:24:43.640 He was in the fifth grade and not doing well 0:24:43.760 --> 0:24:47.800 in school. He wouldn't participate. He was moody and hard 0:24:47.800 --> 0:24:48.560 to get along with. 0:24:49.280 --> 0:24:49.960 His teacher. 0:24:50.359 --> 0:24:54.080 Miss Thompson always said that she loved all of her students, 0:24:54.400 --> 0:24:57.199 but later she would admit she didn't really care for 0:24:57.240 --> 0:25:02.080 little Teddy. She couldn't understand why was so unmotivated, why he. 0:25:02.119 --> 0:25:03.200 Wasn't willing to learn. 0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:06.879 At Christmas, the students would all bring Miss Thompson a 0:25:06.920 --> 0:25:09.480 present and she would open it in front of the class, 0:25:09.520 --> 0:25:13.080 And most of those presents were wrapped in fancy holiday 0:25:13.119 --> 0:25:17.240 paper with sparkling bows, but Teddy's present was wrapped in 0:25:17.320 --> 0:25:21.040 brown paper from a grocery bag. When she opened it, 0:25:21.080 --> 0:25:25.720 out out fell a very plain looking bracelet that had 0:25:25.800 --> 0:25:29.960 half of the rhinestones missing, plus a bottle of perfume 0:25:30.160 --> 0:25:33.040 halfway filled up, just real cheap perfume, and some of 0:25:33.080 --> 0:25:37.040 the students begin to giggle. Miss Thompson was smart enough 0:25:37.080 --> 0:25:39.280 to act like that she liked it, and she put 0:25:39.320 --> 0:25:41.399 some of the perfume on, put the bracelet on her 0:25:41.400 --> 0:25:43.520 wrist and held it up and said, oh, it's so beautiful. 0:25:44.200 --> 0:25:47.240 After class, Teddy came up to the teacher and said, 0:25:47.359 --> 0:25:51.800 very quietly, Miss Thompson, that bracelet looks as beautiful on 0:25:51.920 --> 0:25:55.080 you as it did my mother, and with that perfume, 0:25:55.440 --> 0:25:58.960 you smelled just like she did. After Teddy left, Miss 0:25:59.080 --> 0:26:02.399 Thompson rushed to the files to find out more about Teddy. 0:26:02.640 --> 0:26:03.800 She found the paperwork. 0:26:04.200 --> 0:26:07.960 It said, first grade Teddy shows promise, but has a 0:26:08.080 --> 0:26:12.840 very poor home situation. Second grade Teddy could do better, 0:26:13.200 --> 0:26:17.000 but mother is seriously ill. Third grade Teddy is a 0:26:17.040 --> 0:26:21.560 good boy, but distracted. Mother died this year. Fourth grade 0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:25.040 Teddy is a slow learner. Father shows no signs of 0:26:25.080 --> 0:26:29.120 interest in him. Miss Thompson wiped away the tears, said, God, 0:26:29.160 --> 0:26:32.959 please forgive me. The next morning, when the students went 0:26:33.000 --> 0:26:36.240 to class, they had a new teacher. You see, Miss 0:26:36.240 --> 0:26:40.080 Thompson had become a new person. She took off her 0:26:40.160 --> 0:26:43.359 eyes of judgment and she put on her eyes of love. 0:26:44.040 --> 0:26:48.400 Now she understood why Teddy was so distracted. She took 0:26:48.480 --> 0:26:53.120 him as her personal project, began to love him, tutor him, 0:26:53.600 --> 0:26:57.640 mentor him, make sure that he felt accepted. Miss Thompson 0:26:57.920 --> 0:27:01.560 was the turning point in Teddy's life. Years later, she 0:27:01.600 --> 0:27:04.960 would get a letter from Teddy saying, Miss Thompson, thank you. 0:27:05.480 --> 0:27:09.080 I'm about to graduate from high school, second in my class. 0:27:09.600 --> 0:27:13.800 Four years later, another letter, Miss Thompson, thank you, I'm 0:27:13.840 --> 0:27:18.240 about to graduate from college, first in my class. Years later, 0:27:18.960 --> 0:27:22.880 one final letter, Miss Thompson, thank you, I am now 0:27:23.200 --> 0:27:26.479 doctor Teddy, I just graduated from medical school. 0:27:27.080 --> 0:27:29.440 It went on to say, I'm about to. 0:27:29.400 --> 0:27:31.680 Get married, and I wanted to see if you would 0:27:31.680 --> 0:27:34.480 come to the wedding and sit where my mother would 0:27:34.520 --> 0:27:37.280 have sat if she were still a high What a 0:27:37.320 --> 0:27:40.800 difference it makes when we take time to hear people's story. 0:27:41.080 --> 0:27:44.120 It's easy to be critical, it's easy to write people off. 0:27:44.320 --> 0:27:47.280 But I'm convinced, like Miss Thompson, if we'll make an 0:27:47.320 --> 0:27:50.080 effort to find out what they're all about, be a 0:27:50.119 --> 0:27:53.359 lot easier to show mercy as we go out this week. 0:27:53.560 --> 0:27:56.240 Let's make sure we see people through our eyes of love, 0:27:56.760 --> 0:27:59.800 not our eyes of judgment. That person you're tempted to 0:27:59.880 --> 0:28:03.400 be critical of, tempted to write off, No, give them 0:28:03.400 --> 0:28:05.680 the benefit of the doubt, go the extra mile. 0:28:06.160 --> 0:28:06.560 Do you know? 0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:10.240 Some people, all it takes is one person. You can 0:28:10.280 --> 0:28:13.240 be the Miss Thompson in their life. You can be 0:28:13.359 --> 0:28:17.800 the difference maker. Taken interest in that coworker that's so discouraged, 0:28:18.240 --> 0:28:21.000 find out what's going on with that relative that's lost 0:28:21.080 --> 0:28:21.760 his passion. 0:28:22.200 --> 0:28:24.000 You can be the catalyst for change. 0:28:24.680 --> 0:28:27.000 Friends, if you and I will see people through our 0:28:27.000 --> 0:28:29.960 eyes of love and not judgment, then will live life 0:28:30.000 --> 0:28:33.360 as healers, lifting the fall and restoring the broken. 0:28:33.480 --> 0:28:34.879 And let me assure you, when. 0:28:34.760 --> 0:28:37.560 You help others come a higher God will make sure 0:28:37.720 --> 0:28:40.360 that you come a high. He'll pour out his blessings, 0:28:40.440 --> 0:28:43.120 his favor, and you'll live the life of victory he 0:28:43.240 --> 0:28:43.880 has in story. 0:28:43.880 --> 0:28:48.520 Amen, do you receive it today? We never like to close. 0:28:48.280 --> 0:28:51.840 Our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:51.920 --> 0:28:52.880 the lord of your life. 0:28:53.200 --> 0:28:54.120 Would you pray with me? 0:28:54.720 --> 0:28:59.800 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:28:59.840 --> 0:29:04.600 in my heart, wash me clean. I make you my 0:29:04.680 --> 0:29:08.360 Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 0:29:08.400 --> 0:29:10.600 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:29:10.600 --> 0:29:12.760 Bible based church. Keep God first place. 0:29:13.000 --> 0:29:15.280 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:15.920 --> 0:29:19.360 Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 0:29:19.440 --> 0:29:22.160 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:22.280 --> 0:29:26.160 all over the world. Visit Joelostin dot com slash give 0:29:26.240 --> 0:29:27.920 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:29.200 --> 0:29:31.640 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:31.760 --> 0:29:34.520 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:34.560 --> 0:29:36.000 podcast to keep. 0:29:35.840 --> 0:29:38.800 You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you 0:29:38.960 --> 0:29:41.440 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:41.480 --> 0:29:42.000 next time.