Sharing a little story from an encounter while we were overseas in Riga, Latvia. Enjoy!
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1 NIV.
One day during outreach in Riga, Latvia, we came upon a wedding in the park. Nothing unusual about that, the weekends were always busy with weddings in the center of the capital city. This park was right next to the Freedom Monument and the Lock Bridge. Couples would bring a padlock with their names inscribed and the date of their wedding and lock it on the infamous bridge and then ceremoniously throw the key into the canal, sealing the deal with a kiss! Vowing that their love for each other was eternal.
We also were celebrating an anniversary that summer and The Sweetheart bought two locks for us and had our names and our wedding date inscribed on them. After a trip to the sea for a carefree day of sightseeing, our missions team went with us to the Lock Bridge to celebrate. It was a great memory to commemorate our 32 wedding anniversary (and my 50th birthday!) and we brought home the other lock as a keepsake.
Back to the wedding in the park. We noticed a couple of unusual characters as we walked through that day. They were not moving, not one muscle. Covered completely in gold, they were human statues. Even little children would try to distract them but they were complete professionals, nothing moved them.
How often do we judge by outward appearances? We are all about how we look and how others look. In reality, it is a shame. It is hard for us to get past the “outside” to see the “inside”.
If we see someone in clothing that isn’t cool or name-brand, we automatically judge them. It is so ingrained in us from constant media influences we don’t even realize we are doing it…but we are. We judge where they live, what kind of car they have, their job, social status, even their choice of cell phone.
But Jesus is exactly the opposite. “But the Lord said to Samuel, …The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV.
He teaches us that what we SEE is not necessarily what they ARE, and it works both ways. We may see someone so very well put together and think they have it ALL…but inside they are broken, hurting and their life is a mess.
Then we may see someone who has nothing, their clothes are not the latest fashion, they don’t have the nicest house or latest model car but inside they have peace, joy and the things that matter most: a relationship with Almighty God. Again, it works both ways.
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” 1 Peter 3:3,4 ESV.
No matter what your adorning is as far as material goods, your spiritual adorning should show forth the attributes of the One who has called you to live, love and serve in this life; to make a difference in others.
The verse in Matthew 7 doesn’t say we cannot judge whether sinful behavior is actually sinful or not. It is saying we had better be ready to be judged by the same standard of judgment!
“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:2-5 NLT.
So this is a warning against hypocrisy. Before we start pointing out what is wrong with our neighbor’s life, we had better take a good look at our own.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14 ESV.
Put on love.
Thanks Lyli, it was a great memory!! ♥
What a great way to celebrate your anniversary! Thanks for this reminder to “put on love.”
Thanks Joanne, I wish we were still over there, I miss it so much! We are going back in mid September for a few weeks. They have their General Conference and we are blessed to be a part of that. If God wills it, who knows?! But we are ALL missionaries! Wherever He puts us we have a mission field! Much work to be done! Blessings to you friend! ♥
Thank you Julie! So glad to have found your link up! Love the site!
I am sure your hubby would be accommodating Ceil 🙂 They do crazy things for us sometimes! Judgment is ugly isn’t it? And we have all been guilty. Help us Lord to be more aware! Thanks for taking time to comment! Appreciate you!
Oh, we were in Rome last January on our way back to the mission field, and so wanted to go to Venice!! We didn’t make it 🙁 But I hear that they have the lock bridges too! Thank you for stopping by today dear friend! Blessings on you and your ministry!
And so are you and yours 🙂 I am thankful for the blessings in our lives! And I am thankful for you sweet friend…have a great weekend. See you Tuesday! ♥
Nannette,
You and your husband are adorable. I am so happy that the Lord brought two wonderful people together all those years ago.
Blessings
Sue
Your pastor and wife were in Riga? How cool is that? Were they with Missionary Shutes? Small world regardless. Blessings to you Cindy!
So beautiful! I love your words.
And the idea of the lock and throwing the key, love that!!
Thanks for linking up with Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday! God bless!
Hi Candace Jo, we recently visited Venice, Italy and they had a few of those bridges, filled with locks. So romantic. Loved your post too lovely lady. God bless
Tracy
Hi Nannette! I have heard of these lock bridges, how fun!!! Your husband is so romantic, I am sure mine would think I was crazy if I wanted to do it.
Judgement is a huge thing, that’s for sure. I like the photo image you have that says judgement says more about me than the situation. Ouch! Right to the point there.
Enjoy your vaca!
Ceil
What a sweet and romantic anniversary gift! Oh, my. That is just so sweet!! I love your post about not judging. It really is important to love people regardless of what we see on the outside. Your whole post is beautiful. Thank you so much for linking up with my Counting Our Blessings link up. I hope you’ll come back every Tuesday and share. It totally blessed me and I know it does my readers, too. 🙂
How neat! I would love to be a missionary anywhere, any time. So happy for you, the anniversary “gift”, and the understanding of reality, and the way you shared it. Made me smile, which is a good thing.
What a wonderful post and so true. Do you know that just last summer my pastor and his wife were at that bridge putting their own padlock on it! How fun, and what a sweet way to commemorate true love.
What you say about judging is so true, “don’t judge” seems to be a catch phrase anymore, I’m not sure why. Maybe too many of us have felt that if we think something then we should say it. And that has really caused a lot of trouble. I will try hard today and from now on to have that quiet and gentle spirit, one that does not speak it just because I thought it. Thank you for this gentle reminder today. Lord bless you!
Hugs, Cindy
So glad this was a blessing to you Candace! I do have a pretty great Sweetheart 😉 And yes, what we see on the outside is not necessarily what is going on on the inside. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Yes, so true!! Appreciate you stopping by today!! Blessings friend!
Thank you again, 😉 so glad I FOUND you!! LOL!!
Yes Lisa, we have a judgmental nature unfortunately 🙁 trying to overcome! I understand Paris has a Locks Bridge…we have a 10 hour layover there on our way back to Latvia in three weeks. Hope I can find it, we may do it again! Blessings to you for stopping by friend!
Me too Jen! Thank you for stopping by! Blessings to you! ♥
Thank you! Appreciate you stopping by today, blessings to you friend!
Thank you Hazel. Blessings to you dear friend and thank you for Tell Me a Story. I enjoy all of your musings as well!
Honored you stopped by Floyd! We all fail but we just get back up again, that’s the grace and mercy of God! So enjoy your posts.
Love having some of my most precious people visit the blog Datha! Love and appreciate you. ♥
Thank you Nannette! What a timely and much needed reminder of “what is precious to God”.
I’m one of those people that tend to get judged so I strive not to judge others.. but alas, sometimes I fail, which really bothers me. We all need to be reminded and as I read the post many of the verses you quoted were churning in my mind. Thanks for the reminder. And that tradition of tossing the keys to the locks in the river sounds really cool! Happy late anniversary!
Thank you for sharing your awesome story here at “Tell me a Story.” Those locks are impressive and I am glad your hub purchased an extra one for a keepsake. Contratulations on year 32. I agree we judge more often than we should. This can change as we recognize what we are doing and take steps to change our attitude.
Such an important message and such a wonderful tradition!
Learning to love as Jesus did is no easy task, but it’s worth working on. I want to put on love in my daily life! Visiting you from Hear it on Sunday. 🙂
It’s so hard for us to not judge by what we see. Sigh. Only with the Lord’s vision can we do it.
When we visited New York this summer, we saw locks like that on the Brooklyn Bridge. It was the first I’d heard of it, but now that I’m aware of it, I know it’s in many places. So glad you were able to participate in that tradition. Such a cool thing!
What a lovely tradition that they do in Latvia and even lovelier that you and your hubby could reaffirm 32 years of marriage in that way, Nannette! Wow! And your reminder here is so true. It’s easy to forget that what someone’s life looks like on the outside may not be what’s true on the inside. And taking personal responsibility for our own lives is a perfect bottom line! Great thoughts!
Thanks for this important reminder today that the outside makes no difference!
I was so glad to find this in my inbox this morning, what a great lesson! First of all I have to say what a wonderful husband you have so aptly named The Sweetheart. I love that he brought those locks on your trip. I agree with you on everything you have written about judgement. So many times I have looked at someone and thought they had the perfect life, only to find out later the incredible pain they were struggling with. Thanks for sharing!