“We condemn in others the wrong we don’t want to face in ourselves.”

(Frederick Buechner)

Judging others is the easiest thing to do in the world. It takes very little thought, and almost no courage.

I’m not here to teach against being judgmental. There are many others, including one whose sandals I am unfit to tie, who have already taught us that.  What I’m encouraging us to do is question why we’re so prone to judging some people for some things, and not other people for other things. For instance, why do we judge some “sins” as worse than others? Why do we judge one bad attitude as worse than other bad attitudes?

The uncomfortable truth is this: it usually takes one to judge one. Whatever we despise in others is often the very thing we despair about in ourselves. I can’t stand cockiness in others, for instance, because I recognize it too often in the mirror. I quickly get angry when others miss deadlines because I know, in that area, I can be a far worse offender.

Next time you judge another, try to pause and get curious about why. You might just find that the thing you judge is the one thing about yourself you fear the most.

Peace begins with pause,