“I have a gun and I know how to use it!” she hollered. “Now get out of my car before I have to use it!

In a flash the three big, burley guys were running across the parking lot, fleeing for their lives!

Feeling satisfied that she had handled the situation well, she placed her groceries in the back seat and sat down behind the steering wheel, only to find that her key would not turn the ignition switch on. Looking a little more carefully around her, she noticed that this was not her car! Getting out, she saw her own car parked down the row, on the other side of a truck, about five spaces away!

Guilt set in. She headed to the local police station to explain what she had just done, only to find three big, burly men trying to convince the police sergeant that an elderly lady had chased them from their car at gunpoint. The lady interrupted the discussion and admitted that she, indeed, was the guilty party and explained what happened. No charges were pressed.

A funny story, yet in reality it happens almost every day. Maybe not in the same way, but certainly on a mental level. People see someone—they quickly size up the situation and pass judgment. Then they react as if their judgment was totally correct. Words or actions follow. People flee. Damage is done. Feelings are hurt. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24. And in Romans 2:1 it states, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” Another translation states it this way, “So you have no reason, whoever you are, for judging: for in judging another you are judging yourself, for you do the same things.”

A friend once shared this saying, “What thou dost in others see, is most prevalent in thee.” Things are not always as they appear. And when it come to people—precious souls for whom Christ has given His life, we need to be very careful in passing judgment. You and I cannot read the heart. I have been in situations where I have thought, “That guy would never be interested in spiritual things”—only to turn around and have Bible studies with that very person, when I made the choice to have an open mind and heart. Dear friends, things are not always the way they appear to be. Don’t pass judgment, but seek a way to save the lost and bind hearts closer to Christ.