One Apple A Day #511 - nonjudgment
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon "The Parable of the Prodigal Son". You've probably heard about it even if you don't have a Christian upbringing.
It's a story that Jesus shares with his disciples about a father who has two sons. The younger one asks the father for his inheritance and then leave wasting his fortune (prodigal means wasteful and extravagant) and becoming a beggar. He then decides to return home begging his father to take him in as a servant. The father instead welcomes him back with a huge feast. The older son, envious and resentful, refuse to celebrate and he complains with his father. He has always behaved rightfully, but he never had such a celebration for him. The father reminds him that one day he will inherit everything and that they must celebrate the comeback of the younger brother because he was lost and now he is found.
I listened to this story many times, and I always thought it was about the love and graciousness of the father. But this time I was struck by the loneliness and misery of the older brother. By being so judgemental, he had trapped himself in a cage.
When we judge others, we are also judging ourselves. And when we put others in boxes, we reduce our own space. Anytime we create a wall between right and wrong, we are reducing our space even if we put ourselves on the right side. To do what we feel right without being judgmental is indeed a challenge, but one that can create freedom.