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That's code 34 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 35 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 39 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 6: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 40 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 6: blessing and share it with. 41 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 5: A friends, reappreciate you and pray for God's very best 42 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 5: in your life. Well, God bless you always a joy 43 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 5: to come into your homes. We loved you and we 44 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 5: prayed for you every single day. And if you ever 45 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 5: in our area, hope you'll stop by and be a 46 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 5: part of one of our services. I promise you we'll 47 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 5: make you feel right at home. But thanks so much 48 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 5: for tuning in, and thank you again for coming out. 49 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 5: And I like to start with something funny each week. 50 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 5: And I heard about this airplane that was about to crash. 51 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 5: Had four passengers but only three parachutes. The first passenger said, 52 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 5: I'm a leading heart surgeon. My patients need me. He 53 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 5: took the first parachute and jumped. The second passenger said, 54 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 5: I'm a rocket scientist, one of the smartest men alive. 55 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 5: My country needs me. He took the second parachute and jumped. 56 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 5: The third passenger was Pope John Paul. He said to 57 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 5: the fourth passenger, a ten year old boy scout, son, 58 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 5: I'm old and frell I don't have a lot of 59 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 5: time left. Go ahead and take this last parachute. The 60 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 5: ten year old boy scout said, sir, don't worry about it. 61 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 5: There are still two parachutes left. You see, the smartest 62 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 5: man alive just jumped out with my backpack. 63 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 4: Hold up your bibles. Say it like you mean it. 64 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 4: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 65 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 4: I have what it says I have. 66 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 5: I can do what it says I can do today, 67 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 5: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 68 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 5: confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 69 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 5: will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God bless you. 70 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 5: I want to talk to you today about seeing people 71 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 5: through your eyes of love. Too often we judge people 72 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 5: without knowing their story. We haven't walked in their shoes. 73 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 5: We don't know the struggles they've been through. We don't 74 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 5: know how they were raised, We don't know the challenges 75 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 5: that they're facing right now. All we know is he 76 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 5: sure is unfriendly. She shouldn't wear that, and he's got 77 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 5: hang ups, And I don't know why they act that way. 78 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: Now. 79 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 5: The truth is, there's a reason people are the way 80 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 5: they are. If we took time to know their story, 81 00:03:58,480 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 5: we would be much more forgiving. 82 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 4: If we understood the battles. 83 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 5: They fought, the pain they've endured, the people that have 84 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 5: done them wrong, we would give them a lot more mercy. 85 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 5: We wouldn't be critical because they went through a divorce, 86 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 5: or they've got an addiction, or they were unfriendly and 87 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 5: didn't speak to me. No, you don't know what's going 88 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 5: on behind the scenes. You don't know that the stress 89 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 5: that they're under. For too long, we've seen people through 90 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 5: eyes of judgment. 91 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 4: My challenge is. 92 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 5: Let's start seeing people through our eyes of love. Instead 93 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 5: of being critical and writing them off, take time to 94 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 5: get to know them, find out what they're all about. 95 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 5: God puts people in our lives not to judge, but 96 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 5: so that we can help bring healing. Every time you 97 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 5: show mercy, every time you overlook a fault, when you 98 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 5: give people the benefit of the doubt, you're bringing hope, healing, 99 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 5: restoration to that person. I remember in high school a 100 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 5: young man moved to our city, joined the basketball team, 101 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 5: and he was very good, but he was extremely quiet. 102 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 5: He had a different personality. We all thought he was odd, 103 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 5: never laughed with us. He just stayed over in the 104 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 5: corner and did his own thing, never really joined in. 105 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 5: One day, it was just he and I in the 106 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 5: locker room, and I'd never really spoken to him before, 107 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 5: and just to be friendly, I said, Hey, where'd you 108 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 5: come from? 109 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 4: Where'd you grow up? 110 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 5: I'll never forget how sincere he was. He began to 111 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 5: open up and tell how he came out of a 112 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 5: very dysfunctional home. He had been passed from family to family, 113 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 5: six different foster homes in three years. All this hurt 114 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 5: pain insecurity. Once I understood where he was coming from, 115 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 5: I saw him in a whole new light. I got 116 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 5: my friends and we made sure to include him. 117 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 4: We went the extra mile to make him. 118 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 5: Feel loved, accepted, welcome, and as a part of our team. 119 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 5: And over the years I watched how he came out 120 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 5: of his shell, became more confident, more secure. By the 121 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 5: time we graduated, he's just like the rest of us, 122 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 5: as happy and friendly as can be. When you understand 123 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 5: people's story, it's very. 124 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 4: Easy to overlook things. 125 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 5: When I found out why he was the way he was, 126 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 5: it changed my perspective. Now I realized, it's easy for 127 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 5: me to be secure and happy. 128 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 4: I was raised in a good environment. 129 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 5: It's easy for me to be confident and expect good things. 130 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 5: I've been surrounded by loving people. But if I didn't 131 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 5: have this background, I don't know how I would respond. 132 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 5: Too often we judge people based on our own background 133 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 5: and on the experiences we've been through. If we're strong 134 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 5: in an area where somebody is weak, it's easy to 135 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 5: think I would never do that. I would never be 136 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 5: as unfriendly as that young man I would have never 137 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 5: gotten a divorce. I'd have never married that person in 138 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 5: the first place. Joel, No, you don't know what you 139 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 5: would have done. You haven't walked in their shoes. You 140 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 5: weren't raised in their environment, you haven't been through their 141 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 5: same experiences. 142 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 4: All of us have strengths. 143 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 5: And we all have weaknesses, and we are strong in 144 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 5: certain areas. Not because we're great and we just decided 145 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 5: to be strong. No, it's because of the grace of 146 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 5: God on our lives. I am secure and confident because 147 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 5: God blessed me with great parents. I cannot judge that 148 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 5: young man that was unfriendly. 149 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 4: I haven't walked in his shoes. 150 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 5: I don't know if I would handle it as good 151 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 5: as he did. Instead of being holier than now and 152 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 5: judging people, our attitude. 153 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 4: Should be but for the grace of God, that could 154 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 4: be me. 155 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 5: If it was not for God's goodness, I could be 156 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 5: struggling with an addiction. I could be insecure, angry, dealing 157 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 5: with all kinds of issues. I'm not going to judge. 158 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 5: I'm going to show mercy. I'm not going to be critical. 159 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 5: I'm going to be understanding. After all, we don't know 160 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,559 Speaker 5: what people are going through. We've got to give people room. 161 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 5: My father used to say, everyone has the right to 162 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 5: have a bad day. We can either see them through 163 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 5: eyes of judgment and be hard and critical, or we 164 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 5: can see them through eyes of love, eyes of mercy, 165 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 5: eyes of understanding. 166 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 4: Here's the key. 167 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 5: The way you see other people is the way they're 168 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 5: going to see you. 169 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 4: If you're hard and critical when. 170 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 5: They do wrong, you make sure they get what they deserve, 171 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 5: then those same seeds that you're sowing are going to 172 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 5: come back to you. People are going to be hard 173 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 5: and critical and not show you any mercy. But when 174 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 5: you're kind forgiving, compassionate, merciful, when you give people room, 175 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 5: when you realize they're not a bad person, they're just 176 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 5: dealing with some issues, then people are going to be 177 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 5: kind forgiving merciful back to you. 178 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 4: Now, I think one of the greatest. 179 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 5: Traits that we can all develop is to believe the 180 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 5: best in people. We can all criticize, we can all 181 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 5: find fault. People are human, they're going to make mistakes, 182 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 5: they're going to do things we don't understand. But the 183 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 5: scripture says love overlooks a person's faults. Love makes allowances 184 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 5: for people's weaknesses. Love doesn't magnify a mistake. 185 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 4: Love covers a mistake. 186 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 5: Now, im mature person will not take an offense and 187 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 5: run with it. They won't magnify it and say, let 188 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 5: me call ten friends and tell. 189 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 4: You what they did. 190 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 5: Now, when you're full of mercy, you'll downplay it. 191 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 4: You'll be their defender. 192 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 5: You'll even be willing to suffer the wrong, knowing that 193 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 5: they weren't up to par I had a good friend 194 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 5: tell me a while back how his boss jumped down 195 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 5: his throat for no reason. He hadn't done anything wrong, 196 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 5: and his boss just let him have it in front 197 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 5: of the whole sales staff. Embarrassed him, and he was 198 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,319 Speaker 5: all upset about it. I told him what I'm telling you, 199 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 5: just give the boss the benefit of the doubt. 200 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 4: Something else is going on. 201 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 5: He found out two weeks later that his boss was 202 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 5: going through a divorce. It gave him a whole new perspective. 203 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 5: Now he understands why he was so uptight, why he 204 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 5: was on edge, and instead of taking it personally, now 205 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 5: he's making allowances. He's showing him mercy. He's doing what 206 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 5: he can to help lighten the load. Most of the time, 207 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 5: if someone is not up to par There's a very 208 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 5: good reason. We don't know what's going on behind closed doors. 209 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 5: We don't know the heartache, the pain that they've pushed down. Now, 210 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 5: they're doing the best they can to just keep it together. 211 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 5: The last thing they need is for one of us 212 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 5: to come dump a whole nother load on them. 213 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 4: Now. 214 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 5: God puts people in our life like that, not to judge, 215 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 5: not to condemn, not to be critical. God put them 216 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 5: there so you can help love them back into wholeness. 217 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 4: Where are the healers? 218 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 5: Where are the people that will be sensitive to recognize 219 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 5: when somebody's hurting, People that will step up and say, 220 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 5: I can tell you stressed out. I can tell you're 221 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 5: not up to par is. There anything I can do 222 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 5: to help? Can I pray for you? Can I buy 223 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 5: your dinner? Can I come over and encourage you? 224 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 4: Let's stop judging people and let's start healing people. Years ago, 225 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,199 Speaker 4: I was in a grocery store. 226 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 5: Waiting in line to check out, and there were eight 227 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 5: or nine people in front of me, and the girl 228 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 5: at the register was about twenty years old, and she 229 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 5: was very stressed out and very short with people. You 230 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 5: could tell that she didn't want to be there. Several 231 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 5: of the customers when she was rude to them, they 232 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 5: were just as rude back to her. 233 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 4: It's a very tense situation. 234 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 5: There was a problem with the register, she had to 235 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 5: call the manager. 236 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 4: Then she needed a price check. It was taken forever. 237 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 5: People were getting more and more aggravated, and she was 238 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 5: becoming more and more rude. 239 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 4: And yes, she was wrong, she should not act that way. 240 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 5: But I knew it was something deeper, and I thought, 241 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 5: I'm not going to be a part of the problem. 242 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 4: I'm going to be a part of the solution. 243 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 5: This girl's got enough trouble and heartache and stress in 244 00:11:58,440 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 5: her life. 245 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 4: I'm not going to make it work. When I got 246 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 4: up there, I just. 247 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 5: Very kindly and quietly began to encourage her. Said, hey, 248 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 5: I can tell you stressed out and these people are 249 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 5: giving you a hard time, But I want you to 250 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 5: know that everything is gonna be all right. God has 251 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 5: you in the palm of his hand. He knows what 252 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 5: you're going through, and he's already got the solution. It's 253 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 5: all going to work out. Big tears started coming down 254 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 5: her cheeks. She said, my baby is in the hospital 255 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 5: and I'm so worried and my husband got laid off. 256 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 5: I don't know how we're gonna make it. I said, well, 257 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 5: let's pray about it. Right there in front of the 258 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 5: grocery store. We prayed, and when I got finished, the 259 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 5: lady in line behind me came and gave her a 260 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 5: big huff. The next man he said, my good friend 261 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 5: is the head nurse at that hospital. I'm gonna call 262 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 5: her and ask her to go check on your baby. 263 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 5: The whole atmosphere changed when we heard her story. 264 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 4: It all made sense. 265 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:53,839 Speaker 5: We realized why she was so uptight before I left. 266 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 5: She said, you'll never know what this is meant to me. 267 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 5: The scripture says Proverbs fifteen four. A gentle tongue brings healing. 268 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 5: It's amazing what a few kind words can do. It's 269 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,680 Speaker 5: amazing what impact. 270 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 4: It can have. 271 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 5: When you tell somebody, hey, everything's going to be all right. 272 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 5: I'm praying for you. I believe in you. You've got 273 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 5: good days up ahead. Those words have healing power. But 274 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 5: when somebody's rude to us, it's easy to respond back 275 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 5: the same way. But instead of judging them, if you 276 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 5: will first step into their shoes, it will help you 277 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 5: to put on the right set of eyes, eyes of 278 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 5: love and not eyes of judgment. And this doesn't mean 279 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 5: that we're excusing their behavior. What they're doing may be wrong, 280 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 5: it may be their fault. They may have brought the 281 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 5: trouble on themselves. But I've learned I'm not the judge. 282 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 5: God is the judge. I'm not here to straighten everybody out. 283 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 5: I'm here to help bring healing. Our job is to 284 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 5: pour the healing oil on the wounds. Our job is 285 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 5: to lift the falling, to be a friend to the lonely. 286 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 4: To encourage the discourage. 287 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 5: When you take this merciful approach and instead of giving 288 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 5: them what they deserve, he say, hey, I understand they're 289 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 5: not having a good day. I understand they're under a 290 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 5: lot of stress. I understand life's not treating them fair. 291 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 5: That's what helps to start the healing process. Heard a 292 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 5: story about this farmer. He was an older gentleman and 293 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 5: he had some puppies that he wanted to sell. He 294 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 5: put a sign on his fence out front. The next day, 295 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 5: the little boy from across the street came over. He 296 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 5: was about eight years old. He said, mister, I want 297 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 5: to buy one of your puppies. The little boy pulled 298 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 5: out a pocket full of change. He said, I got 299 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 5: thirty nine cents. 300 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 4: Is that enough? Farmer kind of laughed, He said, I 301 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 4: don't know, Let me count it. 302 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 5: He counted it coin by coin he said, that's exactly 303 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 5: the right amountain. He called the worker over there in 304 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 5: the barn, told him to let the little puppies out 305 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 5: of their cage for the cutest little fur balls you 306 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 5: could ever imagine came running toward the little boy and 307 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 5: he reached down begin to play with them, trying to 308 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 5: figure out which on one he wanted to buy. About 309 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 5: that time, he saw another little puppy sliding down the 310 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 5: ramp of the cage where the other puppies had run. 311 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 5: There was something wrong with this puppy's back legs. When 312 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 5: it ran, all it could do was hobble along, and 313 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,479 Speaker 5: the little boy was immediately drawn to it. Without hesitation, 314 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 5: he said to the farmer, that's the puppy that I want. 315 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 4: The farmer was puzzled. He said, no, son, you don't 316 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 4: want this puppy. 317 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 5: It'll never be able to run and play like the 318 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 5: rest of the children. There's something wrong with this back legs. 319 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 4: The little boy. 320 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 5: Reached down and begin to roll up his blue jeans. 321 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 5: When he did, it revealed steel braces on each side 322 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 5: of his legs. 323 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 4: With two specially made shoes. 324 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 5: He said to the farmer, you see I don't run 325 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 5: well either. This puppy is going to need someone that understands. Friends, 326 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 5: this world is full of people that needs someone that understands. 327 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 5: We don't know what people are going through. We don't 328 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 5: know the hurt, the pain that they've endured. They may 329 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 5: be different and have hang ups and they're not like us, 330 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 5: and they shouldn't be doing that. 331 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 4: That's okay, give them a little room. 332 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 5: If you took time to know their story, then you 333 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 5: wouldn't be critical. If you would first walk in their shoes, 334 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 5: you would. 335 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 4: Find out why they are the way they are. 336 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 5: Remember when I was growing up, there was a man 337 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 5: at our church. 338 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 4: It's about thirty years old. 339 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 5: And he was always dancing during the service, just like clockwork. 340 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 5: As soon as the music started, his hands would go 341 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 5: up in the air, his feet would get to dancing. 342 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 5: I was about ten years old and some of my 343 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 5: friends and I I'll tell you my sins, we would 344 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 5: sit over in the youth section and we would make 345 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 5: fun of this guy. We just thought he was so odd, 346 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 5: and we would even watch before service. 347 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 4: Where is he, y'all? Where is he? 348 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 6: There? 349 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 4: He is over there, we get a good view. Okay, okay, 350 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 4: here goes to music. There goes his hands, there goes 351 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 4: his legs, and. 352 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 5: We just couldn't understand why he was always so excited, why. 353 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 4: He was dancing. Well, you got to know my father. 354 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 5: One day, my dad called him up on the platform 355 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 5: and asked him to tell his story. And all of 356 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 5: our young years were listening so intently. We're gonna finally 357 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 5: find out what made him so strange, why he danced 358 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 5: all the time. Well, he began to tell how he 359 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 5: never knew his father, his mother committed suicide at an 360 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 5: early age, and he grew up a angry, bitter no direction, 361 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 5: no purpose in life. But he said he came into 362 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 5: Lakewood and he got his life turned around, and he 363 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 5: got a good job, and. 364 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 4: He was about to get married. 365 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 5: And he said, when I think about all God's done 366 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 5: for me, I just can't be still. 367 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 4: My arms go up in the air. He said, when 368 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 4: the music. 369 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 5: Start, my legs just go to dance, and I'm so happy. 370 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 4: I just got to give God praise. 371 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 5: Well, when we heard that we felt about that big 372 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 5: Do you know we never made fun of him? 373 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 4: Again? 374 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 5: When you walk in somebody's shoes, when you hear their story, 375 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 5: it'll give you a new perspective. Could it be the 376 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 5: person you're being judgmental toward has a good reason for 377 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 5: the way he is. 378 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 4: Maybe he's got an addiction. 379 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 5: You attempted to ride him off, to be critical, But 380 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 5: have you walked in his shoes? Do you know how 381 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 5: he was raised? Do you know the battles that he's fought. 382 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 5: Maybe that lady is not where she should be, but 383 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 5: do you know what's going on behind the scenes? 384 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,479 Speaker 4: Do you know how she was treated? Do you know 385 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 4: the experiences that have made. 386 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 5: Her into who she is today? Most of the time, 387 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 5: we don't know all the facts. 388 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 4: And here's the key. 389 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 5: Even if they are wrong, God did not put us 390 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 5: here to condemn them. What's going to help them to 391 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 5: turn around and get back on the right track is mercy, forgiveness, 392 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 5: being understanding. When we're hard and critical, that doesn't bring healing, 393 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 5: that doesn't lift people up, that just pushes them further down. 394 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 5: And dealing with people for several years, thousands of people, 395 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 5: one thing I can tell you is ninety nine point 396 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 5: nine percent of. 397 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 4: People are not bad people. 398 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 5: They may make poor choices, but deep down they've got 399 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 5: a good heart. They want to do what's right, and 400 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 5: if we could just see them through our eyes of love, 401 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 5: we can be the ones to help them come up 402 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 5: higher and still fulfill their God given destiny. 403 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 4: The longer I live. 404 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 5: The less judgmental I become. I had a man tell 405 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 5: me after the service a while back, Joel, that was 406 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 5: a hell of a sermon today. Do you know that 407 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 5: didn't offend me. I thought the sermon was good too. 408 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 5: That just told me he wasn't raised like I was. 409 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 5: So the way I grew up. If you said hell, 410 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 5: that meant you were going there. But I found out 411 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 5: that his parents owned bars. So when I grew up 412 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 5: as a little boy hanging out in the church, he 413 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 5: was hanging out in the bars. 414 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 4: I'm not going to be holier than now. I know. 415 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 5: If it were not for the grace of God, I 416 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 5: wouldn't be where I am today. 417 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 4: Well, you say, Joel, that girl that. 418 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 5: Comes to your church, she's got a bad reputation. Do 419 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 5: you know what she does? No, but I would rather 420 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 5: her be here than out on the street. 421 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 4: Somewhere. 422 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 5: I would rather her be here than hanging out in 423 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 5: the clubs. 424 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 4: Jesus said, it's the sick who need the doctor, not 425 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 4: the well. 426 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 5: Our churches should not be museums to display perfect people. 427 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 4: They should be hospitals to help the herding and the lonely. 428 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 4: Here's the thing. Before you judge that young lady, let 429 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 4: me ask you. Have you walked in her shoes? Do 430 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 4: you know her story? 431 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 5: Did she have good parents that gave her wisdom, guidance 432 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 5: that made her feel valuable in love? Or did she 433 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 5: have people that were taking advantage of Have you tried 434 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 5: to see life from her perspective. We've got to give 435 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 5: people a little room while they're in the process of changing. 436 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 5: Maybe she's here trying to get her life turned around. 437 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 5: Maybe God put that person at the office next to 438 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 5: you so you could judge them, but so you could 439 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,120 Speaker 5: help love them back into wholeness. Now our attitude should 440 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 5: be God, how can I help this person come up higher? 441 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:13,719 Speaker 5: What can I do to inspire them to become better? 442 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 5: How can I make them feel more loved, more accepted, 443 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 5: more valuable, more secure friends? The closest thing to the 444 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 5: heart of God is helping hurting people. The same love, mercy, understanding, 445 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 5: compassion you give to others, that's the amount God's going 446 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 5: to give back to you. Romans fifteen one says, you 447 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 5: who are strong, you who are mature, are to bear 448 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 5: with those that are weak. That means you're going to 449 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 5: have to put up with some things. 450 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 4: You're going to have. 451 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 5: To overlook some faults. We have to make allowances for 452 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 5: people's weaknesses. Bottom line is this, Be generous with your mercy, 453 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 5: show acceptance to everyone, not just the people that are 454 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 5: like you. Heard a story about a young college student 455 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 5: named Bill. He was known on campus for his wild 456 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 5: hair and the way he dressed. He wore a T 457 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 5: shirt with holes in it, blue jeans, and sandals every day. 458 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 5: He was a very sharp young man, a straight a student. 459 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 5: He was just a little different. One day he went 460 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 5: to a campus ministry event and his heart was touched 461 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 5: and he gave his life to Christ. And they encouraged 462 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 5: him to get into a good church. And it just 463 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 5: so happened. There was a church right across the street. 464 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 4: From the university. 465 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 5: It was a very formal church, very conservative, very well 466 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 5: dressed people. The next Sunday, Bill walked in the service 467 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,719 Speaker 5: a few minutes late. The little church was packed. Couldn't 468 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 5: find a seat. He walked down the center aisle toward 469 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 5: the platform. Of course, he was in his old T 470 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 5: shirt and blue jeans and his sandals, and he went 471 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 5: row by roe, couldn't find a seat. 472 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 4: Finally got to the front row. Still no place to sit. 473 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 5: So Bill sat down right on the floor in the 474 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 5: center of the altar area. And he wasn't trying to 475 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 5: be disrespectful, He just didn't know any better. 476 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 4: This is what he would have done in college. 477 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 5: About that time, the head deacon got up from the 478 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,959 Speaker 5: back of the auditorium started walking down toward Bill. This 479 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 5: head deacon was in his eighties, very distinguished gentleman, silver 480 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 5: hair glasses, wearing a very expensive suit. He walked slowly 481 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 5: down the aisle with his cane. There was such a 482 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 5: commotion that the minister had to stop his sermon and 483 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 5: wait for him to get down there. Everyone was thinking, 484 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 5: you can't blame this head deacon for wanting to correct 485 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 5: the situation. 486 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 4: After all, you. 487 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 5: Can't expect a man of his age and that comes 488 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 5: from his background, to ever understand a young college student 489 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 5: sitting on the floor in our very formal church. When 490 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 5: he got there, he laid his cane down, and very 491 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:48,199 Speaker 5: slowly and with great difficulty, this head deacon lowered himself 492 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 5: to the floor and sat down next to Bill so 493 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 5: he wouldn't have to sit. 494 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 4: There all alone. The whole church erupted in applause. 495 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 5: The minister said, the sermon you hear me speak today, 496 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 5: you'll remember maybe for a week or two, but the 497 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 5: sermon you just saw you will remember for the rest 498 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 5: of your life. And when we see people through eyes 499 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 5: of love, eyes of compassion, eyes of understanding, we won't 500 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 5: be near as critical. Instead of being quick to judge, 501 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 5: will be quick to give people. 502 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 4: The benefit of the doubt. 503 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 5: That deacon, that older gentleman, he realized that Bill wasn't 504 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 5: raised like me. He doesn't come from my same background. 505 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,840 Speaker 5: He didn't come out of my same value system. Once 506 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 5: he stepped into Bill's shoes, he understood where he was 507 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,959 Speaker 5: coming from. Years ago, there was a young boy named Teddy. 508 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 5: He was in the fifth grade and not doing well 509 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 5: in school. He wouldn't participate. He was moody and hard 510 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 5: to get along with. 511 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 4: His teacher. 512 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 5: Miss Thompson always said that she loved all of her students, 513 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 5: but later she would admit she didn't really care for 514 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 5: little Teddy. She couldn't understand why was so unmotivated, why he. 515 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 4: Wasn't willing to learn. 516 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 5: At Christmas, the students would all bring Miss Thompson a 517 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 5: present and she would open it in front of the class, 518 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 5: And most of those presents were wrapped in fancy holiday 519 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 5: paper with sparkling bows, but Teddy's present was wrapped in 520 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 5: brown paper from a grocery bag. When she opened it, 521 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 5: out out fell a very plain looking bracelet that had 522 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 5: half of the rhinestones missing, plus a bottle of perfume 523 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 5: halfway filled up, just real cheap perfume, and some of 524 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 5: the students begin to giggle. Miss Thompson was smart enough 525 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 5: to act like that she liked it, and she put 526 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 5: some of the perfume on, put the bracelet on her 527 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 5: wrist and held it up and said, oh, it's so beautiful. 528 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 5: After class, Teddy came up to the teacher and said, 529 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 5: very quietly, Miss Thompson, that bracelet looks as beautiful on 530 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 5: you as it did my mother, and with that perfume, 531 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 5: you smelled just like she did. After Teddy left, Miss 532 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 5: Thompson rushed to the files to find out more about Teddy. 533 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 4: She found the paperwork. 534 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 5: It said, first grade Teddy shows promise, but has a 535 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 5: very poor home situation. Second grade Teddy could do better, 536 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 5: but mother is seriously ill. Third grade Teddy is a 537 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 5: good boy, but distracted. Mother died this year. Fourth grade 538 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 5: Teddy is a slow learner. Father shows no signs of 539 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 5: interest in him. Miss Thompson wiped away the tears, said, God, 540 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,959 Speaker 5: please forgive me. The next morning, when the students went 541 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 5: to class, they had a new teacher. You see, Miss 542 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 5: Thompson had become a new person. She took off her 543 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 5: eyes of judgment and she put on her eyes of love. 544 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:48,400 Speaker 5: Now she understood why Teddy was so distracted. She took 545 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:53,120 Speaker 5: him as her personal project, began to love him, tutor him, 546 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,640 Speaker 5: mentor him, make sure that he felt accepted. Miss Thompson 547 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 5: was the turning point in Teddy's life. Years later, she 548 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 5: would get a letter from Teddy saying, Miss Thompson, thank you. 549 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 5: I'm about to graduate from high school, second in my class. 550 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 5: Four years later, another letter, Miss Thompson, thank you, I'm 551 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 5: about to graduate from college, first in my class. Years later, 552 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 5: one final letter, Miss Thompson, thank you, I am now 553 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,479 Speaker 5: doctor Teddy, I just graduated from medical school. 554 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 4: It went on to say, I'm about to. 555 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 5: Get married, and I wanted to see if you would 556 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 5: come to the wedding and sit where my mother would 557 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 5: have sat if she were still a high What a 558 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 5: difference it makes when we take time to hear people's story. 559 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 5: It's easy to be critical, it's easy to write people off. 560 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 5: But I'm convinced, like Miss Thompson, if we'll make an 561 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 5: effort to find out what they're all about, be a 562 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 5: lot easier to show mercy as we go out this week. 563 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 5: Let's make sure we see people through our eyes of love, 564 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 5: not our eyes of judgment. That person you're tempted to 565 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:03,400 Speaker 5: be critical of, tempted to write off, No, give them 566 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 5: the benefit of the doubt, go the extra mile. 567 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 4: Do you know? 568 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 5: Some people, all it takes is one person. You can 569 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 5: be the Miss Thompson in their life. You can be 570 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 5: the difference maker. Taken interest in that coworker that's so discouraged, 571 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 5: find out what's going on with that relative that's lost 572 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 5: his passion. 573 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 4: You can be the catalyst for change. 574 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 5: Friends, if you and I will see people through our 575 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 5: eyes of love and not judgment, then will live life 576 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 5: as healers, lifting the fall and restoring the broken. 577 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 4: And let me assure you, when. 578 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 5: You help others come a higher God will make sure 579 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 5: that you come a high. He'll pour out his blessings, 580 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 5: his favor, and you'll live the life of victory he 581 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 5: has in story. 582 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 4: Amen, do you receive it today? We never like to close. 583 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 5: Our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 584 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 5: the lord of your life. 585 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? 586 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 587 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 5: in my heart, wash me clean. I make you my 588 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 5: Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 589 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 5: we believe you got born again. Get in a good 590 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 5: Bible based church. Keep God first place. 591 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 4: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 592 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 593 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 6: us continue to share the message of hope with those 594 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 6: all over the world. Visit Joelostin dot com slash give 595 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 6: Hope to give a gift today. 596 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 597 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 598 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 5: podcast to keep. 599 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 4: You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you 600 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 4: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 601 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 4: next time.