Some people have been through a storm before you saw them.
For the entire month of August Powerzone ministries will be diving deep into the topic of temptation. What exactly is temptation? We'll be exploring what it means and what the Bible has to say about it all Month long!
We never truly know what someone else is going through or the challenges they are facing.
August 9, 2023 By Dr. George Bing
Many of us have misjudged people based on their associations, dress, or appearance. There is a temptation to assume the worst about others, which stems from the Adamic nature we are all born with. People often read newspapers or watch the news, seeking to hear about someone else's misfortune. Crimes such as murder, sexual abuse, police brutality, and misuse of authority are committed, and some individuals actively seek more information about these incidents. It's as if they want the inside scoop on "Who shot Nellie in the belly."
An illustration that I have used in the past serves as a fitting metaphor in this context. My family and I were on vacation in the Pocono Mountains years ago. It was the first time my son had seen snow, and he was incredibly excited, as was his sister. Our van was covered in snow, and the storm was so severe that it took us nearly an hour to remove enough snow from our vehicle before we could begin our journey back home. The top of our van was covered in ice as we set off toward sunny Florida. After a nearly twenty-hour drive, we finally arrived home, and as I looked at the van, I began to reflect on the experiences we had gone through.
Well, technically, it was the van that was in the brutal storm and had all of that snow and ice on it. However, if you were to look at it then, you would not have known what it had been through. The van had to change its environment, and even then, if you weren't there, you would never have known what that van had endured before you saw it. Similarly, some people have been through a storm before you saw them, and you would not know it.
The storm they went through may be the cause of why they act the way they do or look the way you see them now. Not everyone is able to bounce back from their prior tribulations in life, as the van did. The temptation to assume the worst about a person is a way to misjudge others and not even try to understand their tale of woe. Jesus says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1). What are your thoughts?
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