There’s Always A Back Story

The phones lit up as more people chastised the mothers and fathers of today.

Luke 21:1-4

Reference: “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. (‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬ NIV)

Explore: Recently a listener called a talkback radio show to complain about some parenting she had seen. The listener had been at a cafe and witnessed a mother and her son out for a coffee.

She was disgusted that the mother had spent all her time on her phone and hardly paid any attention to her son. The son clearly had some special needs and this was not aided by the mother’s lack of attention.

The phones lit up as more people, past parenting age, chastised the mothers and fathers of today. The sound of whinging was at its peak when James called in.

James had been at that same cafe and knew the mother’s situation. He explained that her son had autism and that her husband had just been laid off.

They were in dire financial trouble, and so the mother could sort out how they were going to get through the next week, she had come to the cafe to utilise their free wi-fi.

The phones went very quiet then. It was easy to chastise someone when you didn’t know the whole story.

Application: Unfortunately, we can all be a little like the listeners of this radio show. We see someone and pass judgement on them before knowing any more about them.

It’s one of the things I love about Jesus. He knew people’s hearts, not just their outward expression.

He never jumped to conclusions by looking at their actions, but continued to search deeper into people’s lives. In doing so, He challenges us to do the same.

Next time we jump quickly to a conclusion about someone, let’s not forget that only Jesus truly knows the full story, and even He didn’t judge others.

Prayer: Lord, give me Your eyes so that I can see deeper than the surface. Amen.

When have you been misjudged?

judgment, Luke, opinion, radio, talkback