Today’s observation is about judgment of others based in fear and separation. I was driving going at a pretty good clip probably a little bit over the speed limit. As I was going to merge into a faster lane, I looked and there wasn’t anyone in the lane I wanted to move into. As I looked again turning on my turn signal, suddenly there was a person driving fast that was right up behind me where getting over may have been difficult or dangerous. I immediately jerked back over into my lane even though I still have my turn signal on and this person blew by me in the lane next to me I intended to move into. Of course, I looked to see who this person was. What I noticed was the gender, the race and the state in which the car was registered. I immediately formed a very quick opinion based on what I saw and began to create a stereotype. This I realized very quickly was not just unnecessary, but a very dangerous thing to do. The situation was very dangerous, but the emotion thereafter was also very dangerous. It doesn’t matter who the person was that did this. Of course, I’ve done it too. In fact, I can remember going over the speed limit on a highway and someone who was traveling slower was surprised I was suddenly in the lane they were merging into and they had their turn signal on.
I formed a judgment based on the physical. It obviously did not matter who this person is or what they looked like or where they were from. I judged as one that is separate from this person and not in unity. What was I afraid of? Where was my fear? My fear was not believing that I was going to be safe which may seem somewhat normal, however we’re always safe and anyone could do that including myself. I have done that same thing and probably will again on both sides. My hope is that I will be sharper at recognizing everything next time because I was aware and practicing how to see that properly. I guess my lesson was not to judge them and form an opinion based on the physical, but knowing
that anyone can be in a hurry or not pay attention. Guarding myself from people of that gender or that race coming from that state is going to keep me safe. It’s a judgment based in fear. I can encounter anybody of any gender, any race and from any place and be safe and treat them with love as a child of God who is in their own choice to do whatever they choose to do.
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