Today I want to deal with the subject of judgment. Don't you just love to be around people who are always judging you or someone else? Those are my favorite types of people. Well not really. I very much dislike being around them. But let's talk about judgment for a minute. If you have ever been to church, you have heard the quote from the bible, "Judge not lest ye be judged." We have taken that to mean that when I am around someone who hurts me or does bad things to me, that I can't judge them right. I think this is very true. I cannot judge a person period.
But what I can do is judge their actions. It's OK to judge a person's actions. But what I think we really like to do is use judging a persons actions as a spring board to get to what is really fun - judging people. See I caught myself doing that here recently and honestly I didn't really even know I was doing it. But before I get to that, let me talk about some things its OK to judge.
Sometimes we are around people who use this don't judge people thing as a way to manipulate us and hurt us. All the while, they are saying that you can't judge them. What they are really saying is they want you to continue to allow them to treat you badly. That's not OK. If you are around someone who is constantly hurting you, their actions are wrong and that is what I am judging. I am not saying they are a bad person. However, don't let people manipulate you into doing what they want if it is wrong.
While I am at it, let me step on a few more toes. If someone comes up to you and tells you in a loving and kind way that they think you are behaving wrongly, consider what they say. I know some people who are very difficult to correct because they cannot take someone telling them they are wrong. I personally like to know when I am wrong (this is not an open invitation for you to correct me). Let me say that I only trust a few people to tell me I am behaving wrongly. Most of the time, I listen to my heart and the Lord will correct me where I need correction. Be thankful when someone does that for you, if you know they really love and care about you. For me personally, I don't want to go around being wrong. Have you ever had that dream where you are walking around in your underwear or worse and everyone is laughing at you? Well that's a little drastic but I think when we walk around constantly behaving wrong in an area, that is exactly what we are doing.
So let me tell you about the wrong kind of judgment. I know this guy who was extremely judgmental to certain people in his life. As a matter of fact, he really didn't like having them around. Why, because some of them did do things that hurt his feelings. Some of them did nothing to hurt his feelings. He was just judgmental. Now I don't know if he was ever judgmental outright to these people's faces but he certainly was in his heart. He didn't really do it on purpose but he couldn't separate judging a person and judging their actions. See some of their actions needed to be understood. In some ways they used him but didn't know it. So what did he do in return. He got mad and judged them personally. He considered himself a pretty humble guy. He didn't go around openly telling everyone that he thought he was smart or successful. He didn't go around showing off how much money he made or what he had (although many people thought this was the case). As a matter of fact, he quit showing people the cool stuff he got and he quit telling people about the cool things that happened to him because some people got jealous.
Regardless of what they did to him, he began to judge himself as better than them. Now here is where it gets a little strange. He didn't judge himself smarter, or more successful, or more educated than the people around him. That would have been too obvious. He judged worse than that. He began to see himself as nicer than them. He would look at his wife and see all the times that she did things that were not nice toward him and only consider the nice things he did for her. He is to this day a giver and began to feel that people took advantage of that. So he judged himself to be a nicer and therefore better person than many of the people around him.
OK let me give you three guesses on this guy's identity. Do you really need three guesses? Yup, you know it. This guy is me. It is a very humbling experience when the Lord shows you that you aren't really all that. Now I quit judging people before I started writing for the most part but I didn't realize that I was doing it. It's easy for me to hear people saying nice things about this blog and some of the other stuff I do. I even have a good friend who told me she thought I was a great guy. She didn't mean it as one of those blow off things. This girl really puts me on a pedestal. She sees things in me that I didn't know were there. As a matter of fact, there was a certain thing about the Minion that happened that shocked me. She said that she was surprised it took as long as it did. So guess what, the Minion isn't all that. I have already done this in private but I want to go on record in front of you and ask God to forgive me for being judgmental. That is truly a terrible thing to do and I am ashamed of it. If I have judged you wrongly instead of just judging your actions, please forgive me.
So let me ask you a question? Where are you being like I was? Where are you judging people? I bet that somewhere you are judging them instead of their actions. That has to stop. Do you like to sit around and talk about other people? That's called gossip and it's very judgmental. We have to stop that.
That's another Opinion of the Minion
Friday, September 9, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
About the Minion Part 2
Several weeks ago, I asked for you to submit ideas that you would like me to blog about. The answers weren't exactly what I was looking for because most of them were questions about me. This turned out to be a lot of fun so I decided to do it again and see what kind of questions I got. There were a few questions that I thought were inappropriate so I am not going to answer them but below please find the rest.
LS and AM - Do you have a girlfriend? I have several friends who are girls and I am definitely a straight guy. Being in a great relationship with a woman is probably my greatest worldly desire but I am learning to wait on God to give me what I need. I guess the technical answer to that question is no but I believe God will change that at the right time. I just have to be patient. That last sentence should make one of my readers smile.
AB - How did you learn to speak a different language? - Well I took two years of German in high school and a semester of French in college so I guess I learned some in school.
DV - Who is your favorite band? - Well I have many favorites and that changes on a regular basis. Right now I guess it would have to be Rascal Flatts. I love the lyrics to a lot of their songs.
CM - Do you sing? - Actually CM, this is one of my favorite things to do. Some people who have heard me say I have a decent voice but mostly I sing by myself because I am really self conscious about it. It's one of the things I enjoy from my Box but I don't share with many people.
AM and AB - Why did you start the Opinion of the Minion? - I love this question because it makes me look at the whole thing. I am blown away by the number of fans of the Minion and the number of people who read my blogs. I am truly humbled by what has happened. The minion has fans literally around the world. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see that coming. Ok so the answer is this - I started the Minion as just a place for me to rant about whatever I wanted. I was sort of like my journal for my life. I really didn't expect anyone to read it. My first post was called "the Classics." It was about several books that I had recently read and I just wanted to talk about them. Well I have some of the greatest friends on earth and several of them, AB, LM, TR, KS and others encouraged me to write more blogs. I started posting them and then I would write something on my personal home page each time I did one. Not wanting to bother several of my friends I started a page for the Minion on Facebook. Then as I wrote a blog called "The Box" I realized that God was giving me this as an opportunity to reach people. It changed my whole life. I began to see each one of you as an awesome gift from God and I started focusing on how to say something positive and help people. That is what I try to do with each of my blogs. Again, I really struggle to comprehend all the support and encouragement I have recieved while doing this. I hope this answers the question and I will be happy to talk more about it if you want.
AD - What is your testimony? - I also love this question. Did you know you cannot have a testimony without a test? That may be a whole blog in and of itself but I think you are asking me about when I made Jesus my personal Lord and Savior. Here is the short version. I think I was saved when I was very young. I don't remember when I actually asked Jesus into my heart. What I do know is this. After a very bad break up with a girl when I was in college, I moved back to my parents house. I knew I wasn't living right, I was living in sin and I wasn't walking in right relationship with God. This fact weighed on me so heavily that I spent several nights curled up in a bath tub clutching my bible for dear life. I knew something was wrong inside of me but I didn't know what to do. Finally, I realized that I needed to go back to my home church (I hadn't been in a while) and get my life right with God. The pressure was so intense I was really scared that the rapture was going to take place and I would be left behind. It truly frightened me. Anyway, I had said some awful things about my church. I called those people sobs and said that they really didn't care one thing about me. I said they were a bunch of hypocrites and were a terrible representation of God's love. Then I walked in that church one Sunday night to the youth meeting. Those same awful hypocrites, surrounded me and loved on me and accepted me right into that meeting like nothing had ever happened. I was so deeply touched by their love. I can honestly say that Calvary Cathedral International in Fort Worth, Texas is one of the most Godly places I have ever been. Bob Nichols is a true example of what a man of God looks like and my life is much better for listening to him all those years. Anyway, the service started and all I could think about was the alter call. Several times that pressure was so intense that I wanted to tell the youth pastor, Mark Carillo to shut up and open the alter but I didn't. When he did, I was the first one down there on my knees getting things right with a God who was patiently, longingly, and lovingly waiting for me there.
There is one other part of my testimony that I will share here. In March/April of this year on a Monday, I read a book called Redeeming Love. It is from that book that I got a revelation of how much God loves me. He is passionate about his love for me and you. I have tried to explain this using the English language but it is not sufficient to do the job. During the time I read that book, I heard the Lord say to me, your life is about to change for ever and it has. He took out a heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh that has allowed me to pour more love out than I even thought was possible. Some people might say I have lost my mind and they are right. If you find it, run from it. I will take the one I have now. It is a present from Jesus.
MK - Do you have any weapons? - Yes, I am a Texan. I have a shotgun and a pistol but I am not a big gun fan. There is a long story behind them if you are interested (no violence though. I have never even fired the shotgun.)
DJ - Are you and the others based off the three stooges? - I don't know anything about the background of the cartoon characters but I love the three stooges.
BB - Is there a second movie? - Again, I don't really know.
KT - How many minions are there? - Well I guess right now there are two. Me and my friend DD who has helped me write and should do so again in the near future.
MR and SK - Do minions have babies - I don't know about the cartoon but I have four. One in heaven and three that are here on earth.
AS - What's up with your hair? - Got me.
KP - Do people call you tater tots? - No but my nick name in high school was Oompa Loompa.
NK - Why do you listen to Gru? - Again, I don't have anything to do with the movie.
TN - What do you do when you get hyper? Who do you eat? - No idea what the cartoon minions do.
IM - Are you my brother? - I will answer a question with a question. Have you asked Jesus to live in your heart? If so, then yes. If not, then I don't think so.
MR - Who are your parents? - John and Donna Oswald
JD - Are you a twinkie... - Nope
MK - Are you corn pops cereal - Nope
AK - Where are you from? - I was born, raised, and live in Fort Worth, Texas in the United States.
CJ - What's it like to be yellow? - I don't know.
CJ - Do you ever feel self conscious about your hair? - Nope
LB - Can I get a minion as a pet? - Cute question. I have no idea.
BR and MC - Where can I get a minion? - Sorry, I don't know.
I hope that answers your questions and that's another Opinon of the Minion
LS and AM - Do you have a girlfriend? I have several friends who are girls and I am definitely a straight guy. Being in a great relationship with a woman is probably my greatest worldly desire but I am learning to wait on God to give me what I need. I guess the technical answer to that question is no but I believe God will change that at the right time. I just have to be patient. That last sentence should make one of my readers smile.
AB - How did you learn to speak a different language? - Well I took two years of German in high school and a semester of French in college so I guess I learned some in school.
DV - Who is your favorite band? - Well I have many favorites and that changes on a regular basis. Right now I guess it would have to be Rascal Flatts. I love the lyrics to a lot of their songs.
CM - Do you sing? - Actually CM, this is one of my favorite things to do. Some people who have heard me say I have a decent voice but mostly I sing by myself because I am really self conscious about it. It's one of the things I enjoy from my Box but I don't share with many people.
AM and AB - Why did you start the Opinion of the Minion? - I love this question because it makes me look at the whole thing. I am blown away by the number of fans of the Minion and the number of people who read my blogs. I am truly humbled by what has happened. The minion has fans literally around the world. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see that coming. Ok so the answer is this - I started the Minion as just a place for me to rant about whatever I wanted. I was sort of like my journal for my life. I really didn't expect anyone to read it. My first post was called "the Classics." It was about several books that I had recently read and I just wanted to talk about them. Well I have some of the greatest friends on earth and several of them, AB, LM, TR, KS and others encouraged me to write more blogs. I started posting them and then I would write something on my personal home page each time I did one. Not wanting to bother several of my friends I started a page for the Minion on Facebook. Then as I wrote a blog called "The Box" I realized that God was giving me this as an opportunity to reach people. It changed my whole life. I began to see each one of you as an awesome gift from God and I started focusing on how to say something positive and help people. That is what I try to do with each of my blogs. Again, I really struggle to comprehend all the support and encouragement I have recieved while doing this. I hope this answers the question and I will be happy to talk more about it if you want.
AD - What is your testimony? - I also love this question. Did you know you cannot have a testimony without a test? That may be a whole blog in and of itself but I think you are asking me about when I made Jesus my personal Lord and Savior. Here is the short version. I think I was saved when I was very young. I don't remember when I actually asked Jesus into my heart. What I do know is this. After a very bad break up with a girl when I was in college, I moved back to my parents house. I knew I wasn't living right, I was living in sin and I wasn't walking in right relationship with God. This fact weighed on me so heavily that I spent several nights curled up in a bath tub clutching my bible for dear life. I knew something was wrong inside of me but I didn't know what to do. Finally, I realized that I needed to go back to my home church (I hadn't been in a while) and get my life right with God. The pressure was so intense I was really scared that the rapture was going to take place and I would be left behind. It truly frightened me. Anyway, I had said some awful things about my church. I called those people sobs and said that they really didn't care one thing about me. I said they were a bunch of hypocrites and were a terrible representation of God's love. Then I walked in that church one Sunday night to the youth meeting. Those same awful hypocrites, surrounded me and loved on me and accepted me right into that meeting like nothing had ever happened. I was so deeply touched by their love. I can honestly say that Calvary Cathedral International in Fort Worth, Texas is one of the most Godly places I have ever been. Bob Nichols is a true example of what a man of God looks like and my life is much better for listening to him all those years. Anyway, the service started and all I could think about was the alter call. Several times that pressure was so intense that I wanted to tell the youth pastor, Mark Carillo to shut up and open the alter but I didn't. When he did, I was the first one down there on my knees getting things right with a God who was patiently, longingly, and lovingly waiting for me there.
There is one other part of my testimony that I will share here. In March/April of this year on a Monday, I read a book called Redeeming Love. It is from that book that I got a revelation of how much God loves me. He is passionate about his love for me and you. I have tried to explain this using the English language but it is not sufficient to do the job. During the time I read that book, I heard the Lord say to me, your life is about to change for ever and it has. He took out a heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh that has allowed me to pour more love out than I even thought was possible. Some people might say I have lost my mind and they are right. If you find it, run from it. I will take the one I have now. It is a present from Jesus.
MK - Do you have any weapons? - Yes, I am a Texan. I have a shotgun and a pistol but I am not a big gun fan. There is a long story behind them if you are interested (no violence though. I have never even fired the shotgun.)
DJ - Are you and the others based off the three stooges? - I don't know anything about the background of the cartoon characters but I love the three stooges.
BB - Is there a second movie? - Again, I don't really know.
KT - How many minions are there? - Well I guess right now there are two. Me and my friend DD who has helped me write and should do so again in the near future.
MR and SK - Do minions have babies - I don't know about the cartoon but I have four. One in heaven and three that are here on earth.
AS - What's up with your hair? - Got me.
KP - Do people call you tater tots? - No but my nick name in high school was Oompa Loompa.
NK - Why do you listen to Gru? - Again, I don't have anything to do with the movie.
TN - What do you do when you get hyper? Who do you eat? - No idea what the cartoon minions do.
IM - Are you my brother? - I will answer a question with a question. Have you asked Jesus to live in your heart? If so, then yes. If not, then I don't think so.
MR - Who are your parents? - John and Donna Oswald
JD - Are you a twinkie... - Nope
MK - Are you corn pops cereal - Nope
AK - Where are you from? - I was born, raised, and live in Fort Worth, Texas in the United States.
CJ - What's it like to be yellow? - I don't know.
CJ - Do you ever feel self conscious about your hair? - Nope
LB - Can I get a minion as a pet? - Cute question. I have no idea.
BR and MC - Where can I get a minion? - Sorry, I don't know.
I hope that answers your questions and that's another Opinon of the Minion
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