Judgment

I spend hours reflecting upon whether or not my judgment skills (or lack thereof) need to be fine-tuned before I make one of the biggest decisions of my life.   There is such a fine line.  Use excellent judgment, yet don’t judge others.   Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer said "Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people, but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father.  Although the Savior asks us not to judge others, He still expects us to use excellent judgment."    


Wow, nothing like pressure huh?

I have had the opportunity to spend countless hours speaking to a friend that I met when we first moved to Orlando. She has been hurt and wronged, yet her heart is overflowing with love, forgiveness, and sympathy.  Through the trials and tribulations she has continued to stand next to the person that wronged her.  I don’t think she has one judging bone in her body.  How does she do that?  She continually tells me that “el enemigo” was able to take the person that wronged her by the hand and lead (this person) down a slippery slope of sin and transgression, but that she has been chosen by Heavenly Father to help lift (the person) back up leading towards the path of righteousness.  Once again, HOW DOES SHE DO THAT?


I think one of my best crash courses in "try not to judge others" happened this year as I found myself in the offices of an *nfect*ous d*sease doc. I was afraid to sit down in the chairs or even touch the same pen as any of the other patients because their illness might just be so contagious that by breathing the same air I could be infected with who knows what.  Funny, how as I sat in my little corner of self-righteousness and glory, it occurred to me that GASP . . . I.AM.ONE.OF.THOSE.PATIENTS.    And by the way, I have a whole other post about that part of my life.  Being the anal-retentive list maker that I am, I can actually cross one thing off my list of worries and concerns.  But more about that later . . .