As a human being no matter the age, personally and through observation, I have discovered how easy it is to facilitate judgment on other people. Through first impressions, conversations, the way people treat us, we all use these as pieces that create the picture of how we view one another. While this can be a good way to get to know another person it can also be dangerous in how we use the observations, experiences, and conversations we have with one another to place labels on them. The problem with is that they can end up in stereotypes, assumptions, and biases that most of them time are far from being true.
A Few Experiences
One or two experiences with a person will not reveal their innermost secrets and will not give you the insight scoop on what's going on in their life. Obviously, this is none of our business in the first place. We do not need to meddle in other people's lives. However, we can't forget that what we experience with a person while we are with them may be a different version of them when they are at home or are going through a difficult situation. Many times people who seem the happiest are going through one of the most darkest times of their life. Being "happy" in front of others may be their coping mechanism. The people who crack the most jokes, could, in turn, be the saddest.
You Never Know
You never know the whole story and without that, you can't get the whole picture. And when you only have a few pieces it becomes difficult to create the real picture; what their life is really like, what they are really going through, and who they really are. Trying to put together a puzzle with only a few pieces will only leave you with a false image and overall representation of that person.
Surprisingly Enough
This doesn't always happen with strangers this can happen with friends, family members, people who you think you know well. But behind it all...you never know. You never know what someone is going through. You never know what difficulties someone's life may have acquired. You never know the true weight someone is carrying.
Whenever You're With Someone
Be careful to not judge, to make assumptions, biases, or stereotypes based on experiences with that person or observations you've made about that person. Our observations are not always true. Don't be afraid to admit when you're observations are false. That can help open yourself to the truth. It can help you eliminate judgment and instead replace it with compassion.
Ultimately: You Impact Everyone Around You
It can change the way you view someone or treat them in your life. Having a different perspective can aid you into being the help that someone might desperately need. Whether that be an ear to listen to, a distraction for them, or even to have one person who will not place labels, judgments, stereotypes, or biases against them can make more of an impact than you think. That person could be on the edge of a breakdown, overdosing, or even considering suicide. Life is so precious. As people, we need to do a better job at taking care of one another. Everything we do or say has a positive or negative impact on the people around us, whether we know them or not. Please choose to be a positive impact.
As it says in Proverbs 16:24, being a positive impact especially in words can be healing for others.
Proverbs 16:24
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
