James established the ground rule on hearing, speaking and getting angry. There ought to be the eagerness to hear, but speaking and reacting should rather be slow. Without altering the word of God, it can be added that we should also be slow in judging others.
Never rush at judging someone whose shoes you have never put on. This is born from a personal experience. In my early days of visiting the United Kingdom, I observed that people would switch off light and other electrical appliances the moment they leave an
area of activity. My background was that of leaving on the light round the clock. Those were the days when the government heavily subsidized the power sector. So I thought that the people in the UK were unnecessarily harsh and stingy.
“Unless you have gained a divine perspective on issues and people, you will be safer to avoid being judgmental.”
In recent years, electricity companies introduced pre-paid meters. I noticed that within a week of buying ten thousand naira worth of electricity, it was all depleted. These days, I have become the janitor at home and office, switching off lights from place to place.
Years after I misjudged some people, I found myself in their situations and I did not fare better. Before judging others, remind yourself that you do not have all the facts. In addition, remind yourself that God may have a different perspective on the issue at
hand. The woman who anointed Jesus with precious ointment was roundly condemned for being wasteful; but Jesus called the action “a good work”. Unless you have gained a divine perspective on issues and people, you will be safer to avoid being judgmental.