Judging and Labeling

[Multifavs]

Something I have seen far too often online, especially here on CF, is people judging and labeling others from one post, without knowing anything else about the poster. It has happened to me many times over the years. I have been labeled as all of the following:

-self-righteous and weird for being celibate
-not Christian because I'm Catholic
-evil and hateful for not going along with the world's idea that everyone should just do whatever they want, even if it's wrong
-having no faith because of my anxiety disorder
-a bad Christian for celebrating Christian holidays, playing video games, and not reading the Bible 24/7
-loving money because I wanted to be able to start supporting myself
-oversensitive and stupid for not being a fan of bad language or inappropriate content
-having something wrong with me because I'm shy
-stupid for believing differently from someone else

It hurts to have people assume something about you without even knowing you. Have any of you been treated this way too?

I've also made the mistake of assuming things about people I didn't know. There were a few times where someone online made something really good and wholesome, so I stupidly believed the rest of their work would be that way too. When I found out I was wrong, I got pretty upset and from then on avoided that person's content.

We should all be more careful when interacting with others. You don't know what's in someone's heart from one post. You need to know someone before you make any assumptions.

 

[bèlla]

Our experiences define us to the degree we permit. We are more than our encounters. More than our sufferings. More than our mistakes. Sometimes we forget.

It's important to center ourselves with the word and allow it to speak loudest. The world will think and behave as it chooses but we have a choice. We can believe what we're told or listen to the Lord. What does He say and does He agree?

Righteousness is admirable. Honoring your temple is a worthy practice too few adopt. And the Lord is pleased.

The mind is a tool. It can be an asset or adversary. We must be vigilant about our thoughts, actions and the things we consume. We're planting seeds and the harvest bears witness to the same.

Whatever we endeavor to have -- more love, peace, joy, etc. is where we need to dwell. And we have to be intentional. The counterbalance to judgment is love. And love covers a multitude of sins.

Make love your beacon and you'll repel the other. It won't take root.

Everyone has been misunderstood and misjudged. Including the Savior. But He rarely addressed it. Not because it didn't matter or hurt. He was human after all. But He understood that words were powerful and spoke with intention. That's how a holy garden is a built.

We don't have His divinity or strength. But we have His Spirit and example to draw from. We must be mindful of the spiritual correlations. Some battles must be waged in prayer. When we see patterns in our experiences that's usually a sign.

Accusation is the ruling spirit. When it's involved you'll do/encounter judgment, criticism and faultfinding. That doesn't mean it's the strong man (see Luke 11:21; Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27). It means it's the architect of those experiences. The strong man is rarely the same. It's the catalyst. The linchpin which opens the door for others.

Fear and rejection are common conspirators when accusation is present. Praying against the trio is an appropriate counterstrike. A pouring out of sorts. Relinquishment requires a reciprocal act. We get rid of something and put something in its place. That's where love comes in.

Meditating on love and praying scriptures related to the subject will make a difference. Bible studies are helpful too as is programming that reinforces the principle. It doesn't have to be directed to singles. The infilling will occur with the right resources.

Soakstream is an excellent tool for anxiety, stress and sleep challenges. It does wonders for the spirit and atmosphere and bathes you in the word. It can be played while awake or resting.

I hope that helps. God bless.

~bella