escaping judgmentalism is hard…even when it’s something you detest, that repulses you. as much as i desire to be accepting, hospitable and gracious, to look at change with an open mind if not able to fully embrace it, it is sometimes hard to not to default to one of the first defense mechanisms i learned when faced with change–judgementalism. for if you judge something to be wrong, you can’t accept or go along with it because it violates something in you. and if you don’t accept the change, then you remain in control… it’s a deceptive trap. lord save us all.

i personally have a problem with the grace-less. i can feel the pain of those willing to own their stuff, but put me near a pharisee and i become that judgemental, ignorant person i’m accusing them of (in my mind). i think it has to do with the concept of receiving the grace that you give to others, and because they offer so little, i offer them little, but i’m not so sure.

all i know is i want far more grace offered to me than i offer to a pharisee.

i also think that those of us who, in the past, ‘bought the whole hog’ of fundamentalism or strict adherence to ‘doctrine’ and realize that we missed a lot of truth in doing that have become much more critical in our thinking. and when i start to think things through critically i become more critical as a rule, and it can tend to flow into areas i’m not meant to be critical of (people and their motives), instead of just looking for truth.

it’s early and i haven’t had coffee yet, so this may make no sense, but i think you’ve touched on a nerve that i need to look at more closely. thanks.

Marko-
Thanks for sharing this story. I so much identify with [the young guy in your story]. This is so common especially for us young guys. Gosh, please just love the snot out of him and walk with him through his growing up. One of my best friends and mentors Karen has loved me through my growing up (still) when others wrote me off and I can honestly say if it weren’t for her and a few others I would have probably been running from my calling, working in a Starbucks somewhere.
peace,
Brian

[…] lism One of my newest friends, Mark Ostreicher, posted this entry on his blog yesterday (https://ysmarko.com/?p=45). I was so moved by it as it resonated with me and who I want to be, I wanted to share it with all of you who visit my b […]

Great thoughts Marko! You moved me.
I hope it is ok that I posted it on my blog today.

Marko,

Let me first of all tell you that your purpose is inspiring to me. In your entry I indentify with the young guy “rookie” that has been burned a few time. Here is a brief discription of where I am. I am 28 with a masters degree in Social Work. Previously served in youth ministry for 4 years and steped into a position as a project manager for an innercity gang prevention program in Houston, Texas. I feel the effects of the fire already. My postion is not secure for the coming year because of recent cut backs in federal funding. So my passsion takes over. This is where you come in. I watched a video for one life revolution that I got for free at a ys conferance last year. When I return from these conferances my resources are packed and it takes over a year to pick them up agian because I return back underwater and have to pick up where I left off. I wear my onelife shirt all the time and challege people in ministry to add this as a program. It inpires me, I am judgemental as well. But I have a purpose which brings a balance. I feel called to open my mouth and be a voice for these opressed people. Here is an example of my judgementalim. I had a conversation about the AIDs epidemic and a persons respones was, Why should we give access of meds. to a person with AIDS, it is a death sentance? He belived that it was a waste of money to help some once on the way to death….Man I was pissed. I was enrageed and Judgemental…..I feel I had the right to be. So here is where I am headed. I thought about going to seminary and studing global missions. But I realize that I have a advanced degree in administration, and I am a man with a mission. Why study how to be a missionary when I am a person of mission with a servents heart. I am going to tap into a platform that is willing to bring change to hurting people. I am in the process of developing a foundtion to help with the AIDS Epidemic in Africa. Every time I turn on the TV I here more and more people talking about it. Now I feel called to give them an opportunity to put forth action…..Sorry to flood your blog with a huge dose of my passion, but I want you to know that it is ok to be judgemental at times…Listen to those convictions and know that you are listening to God. Thanks for your inspiration. Peace -Sam

[…] 005, 11:03 am
Filed under: faith, thinking…

a week or two ago i wrote about the hipness of judgmentalism. and, as seems to be shaping up as the norm for me, what i post about rattles around in my […]

“…the most mature so easily slip into dismissing the immature…”

An oxymoron? Yes, if one defines ‘maturity’ as having reached a state of awareness, understanding, and tolerance for the plight of fellow human beings; non judgmentalism.

Abby