I tend to be a judgemental person. I make assumptions about a person based on the first couple things I notice about them- their attitude towards authority, their clothes, car... however shallow or genuine my reason may be I put stereotypes on people very quickly. I think part of this is natural- a way to classify people in our minds to understand them, but I'm sure I take it too far. This issue has led me to having a terrible attitude towards people that I have maybe had a single conversation with. Instead of trying to get know others, I tend to write a lot of people off as in a certain crowd and not even try to talk to them. At times I even develop a sort of hostility towards them based on the title I gave them.

This attitude issue I have keeps me from really getting to know a lot of people. I'm sure I miss out on a good deal of great, fun people because I build up in my mind who I think they are then don't even give them a chance.

In Colossians 1, Paul gives a quick description of what we were like before putting our faith in God. One of the phrases he chooses is, "hostile in mind." As non-believers, we were hostile towards God in our minds. Because of the attitude we are born with as sinners, we are not able to get to know God. We are automatically enemies of God. Regardless of the truth of who God is and how GREAT He is, without God, a human mind cannot see that or understand it because it is hostile towards Him.

I don't know why this was so profound to me, but it is. I guess because I can relate. I know what it's like to write someone off without knowing the truth of who they are. But even more so because if we can understand this as we talk with those who don't know Christ, it gives us a greater understanding of where they are coming from. We are asking them to switch sides in the middle of a war. We are asking them to join the team they have been fighting against, to love the one they have written off as the enemy and so refused to get to know.

To me, it is a reminder to have patience with people. Instead of getting irritated with non-believers for sinning, I need to understand that they are not a slave to righteousness as I am. They don't have a capability of understanding the things of God because they do not have the Holy Spirit. They aren't even able to grasp who God is. We need to love on them and cover them in prayer. That is what will draw their curiousity towards who God really is. Beating people over the head or proving how perfectly we can follow rules is not what shows people the reality of the God we serve. They will know us by our love.

Whitney