“Love the sinner, hate the sin…or just mind your own business” I think we can all agree that practicing what we preach is important. However, there is a difference in reminding someone of their true potential and encouraging them to uphold their standards versus finding reasons to discourage them. “Love the sinner, hate the sin” or, the famous southern saying, “Bless her heart” is a disguise for the cruel words that usually follow. Regardless of our beliefs, pointing out other flaws only makes our character seem shallow. Of course there is a difference in keeping each other accountable, but it is okay to stay in your lane and worry about yourself. Trying to keep up with what everyone else has going on is exhausting. Focusing on ourselves in this particular aspect is rewarding. Besides, if everyone spent most of their time trying to work on their own issues, wouldn’t this world be a better place? World peace is still the goal, people. So the next time you hear “Love the sinner, hate then sin” remember to make sure that you are minding your own business as well. No one is perfect, and you have never walked in anyone else’s shoes but your own. Everyone’s values and morals are different, and still; who are we to judge? We do not have to like it nor do we have to agree with the way others choose to live their lives. Instead, we should keep in mind that we fall short every single day. Of course we are honest with our closest friends and family members because it is important to keep those that we love accountable, but choosing to make a negative comment about an outfit, relationship, or any decision that does not concern you is petty. We spend so much time judging others just because they may make decisions we wouldn’t have, but I think we should be focusing more on how we treat others instead. The next time we start to speak negatively about someone we should remember that we are not perfect, we did not hang the moon, and it is not our place. Before acting on saying something to someone, we need to also take into account that our morals might be different from theirs. They may not believe in what we do, and therefore cannot relate to whatever decisions we may have already made, just like we cannot relate to someone who maybe took a different route in life. The next time we think of saying something hurtful to someone about their appearance, remember that your middle school years probably were not the most glamorous either. If there is anything we can remember to do in times of disagreement, it is to respect. Be respectful of the fact that others may value certain things differently. Remember to decipher between constructive criticism and just plain harsh comments. Being kind never goes out of style. Being encouraging will never flaw your character, and being righteous in what you believe is just as important as showing reverence to others.