Judging others

I have a dress that I just love, because it has flowers all embroidered  across the bottom and at the top. I love flowers and when I saw it, I fell in love with it.  I should tell you that I bought it in the Caribbean islands and it is a reminder of the beautiful work they do there.  The first time I wore it to church someone came up to me and said, 'that dress is not very warm, is it?  And it's really made out of very heavy material, it's cotton I know but a heavy cotton. So anyway, I took it that my dress wasn't appreciated.  So I didn't wear it for a long time and then a few weeks ago, I thought I would wear it again, the weather had cooled down and it is warm so off I went with my pretty dress to church again.  The greeter at the door said, 'that isn't very warm is it?  That is the only dress that people don't seem to like, so I haven't worn it since.  I need to find someone to give my pretty dress to.  Don't know if they don't like the dress or the fact that it came from the islands or what, not sure but it insulted me because two people said the same thing.  Should I be insulted, probably not, on the other hand maybe they don't like the fact that I wear long dresses, I am more comfortable in the longer dress and they are very modest but I am not the only one that wears longer dresses, so not sure what's wrong with that dress or me.  I am thinking that it's some form of judging or criticism, what do you think?

I have an idea that it is wrong to judge someone's motives because we cannot read their hearts and know what is going on in their lives.  On the other hand the Bible says in Matthew 6:20
"Therefore by their fruits you will know them".  So therefore can we judge people's fruits?  Not in a harsh way I'm sure, but in our hearts, we know what is right and what is wrong and we also know that in Proverbs 23:7  "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."  So sometimes what is going on in the heart pops up outside of us in some form or another.  Rebellion shows up in many ways, it could be in a way to show others, 'I can do as I please' and do a Jezebel thing.  Deck out in gaudy jewelry, makeup, or clothes.  Is my dress gaudy, I don't think so it's really pretty and feminine. I like lady like things.  But on the other hand I don't want to be a stumbling block to someone either.  I don't want to be rebellious either.  So I think there is something wrong with wearing it.

Judging others is a very easy thing to do but we have to be very careful what we are judging, are we judging motives which is wrong, or are we judging fruits which we can see?  How do we react to such judging.  Maybe we are judged by our judging, could it be that we judge unfairly and cause others to shy away from us when we speak up and tell others what we think about others.  I believe that is called gossip.  Surely no one likes to be around a gossip, because you and I know that if they gossip about others they will also gossip about us, so let's watch what comes out of our mouths.

I will close with this text in James 3:5 & 6  "Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."  WOW!  Strong language isn't it?

Maybe I will just keep the dress as a reminder of all the friends I left in the islands.  I loved the people there.  I pray that my tongue will be sanctified, how about you?  Grandma Joan