Danger of Making Snap Judgments

By Kent Ross

I love the following story because it is so illustrative of our tendency to make snap judgments about situations that sometimes end up by our being embarrassed by our rush to judgment. See what you think:

 

“When the people came to their seats in the theater, they found a man sprawled across them... When the people told the man that he was occupying their seats, his only response was an inarticulate guttural sound.

 

The people summoned an usher who told the man that he had to get up because he had the seats of the people in the aisle.

 

Again the only response was that inarticulate guttural sound.

 

The usher said, "He's drunk, so I'll call the police."  The police came.  One of the policemen said to the man who lay across the seats, "Fellow, get up, you've got these folks' seat."  No response.  Then the police said, "Look fellow, who are you and where are you from?" 

 

The sprawling man finally managed to say, "From the balcony!"

 

Rushing to judgment.  We do that too often as we meet people, as we vote in national elections, state elections or in other situations where we have to make a judgment.  Too often we decide on whatever it is from what we first observe, what we see on the surface.

 

We make our decision based in faulty or incomplete information.  Or worse on poor information.  How many ugly U.S. Senators do we have in Congress?  Do our presidential hopefuls look good, or make sense? Those are serious enough situations, but bring it closer to home.       

                        

How do we make judgments about our neighbors, or say newcomers who come to church?  To know them more than a superficial first glance involves us taking the time and expending the energy to enter into dialogue with them.

 

I wish I had the insight Christ seemed to have, to know the hearts of man, but I don’t. Therefore I can’t rely on my intuitive feeling about someone, or some situation.  Often I’m plain wrong.  I have tried to learn to step back, take time, try and show patience with those who do not look like I wish they would look; who do not act like I wish they would act; to not behave like I wish they would behave.  After all, maybe, just maybe, they too are from the balcony!

—      August 20, 2007 – Monday Morning E-Devotions:

“THRIVING With Rushing to Judgment” – Kent Ross (Ohio)

 

 

TYLER MOORE, 16, nephew to Steve and Betsy Mattison Moore, was in a very serious auto accident Sunday, Sept. 23^rd at 4:30a.m.  He evidently fell asleep and struck two utility poles as he was returning home alone from his school’s Homecoming.  The car rolled over and he had to be extracted by fire and rescue units.  He hung upside down for 45 minutes in his seatbelt.  He suffered serious head trauma and is just beginning to respond in small ways.  He’s in ICU at Miami Valley in Dayton. He’s the grandson of Jim & Charlene Moore who attends our Brushcreek Church.  They are asking for prayers for Tyler and his family; this family attends the Pleasant Hill Church of God.

 

NO HOME BIBLE STUDY last Tuesday because little Philip came down with the croup and high fever.  They hope to be here today for our Homecoming Sunday.  Here’s some lines Susan wrote:  Hi there.  Just wanted to ask for prayers for my little one.  He does indeed have the croup; we had to make a trip to the pediatric E.R. (at my work) at about midnight last night … He had such a high fever as well; 103.  The doctor at the E.R. gave him a dose of steroids to help with the inflammation, and a racemic epinephrine breathing treatment to also help the inflammation.  He felt better but none-the-less, keep him in your prayers. Thanks, Susan May, 9-26-07                                            

 

COMMUNION DEACONESSES for next Sunday will be Nancy Koston and Mary Ellen Jones. 

 

FRANK TOTH’S 9-26 email explained that the tests indicate he’s getting better and should be “back on his feet” in about a week.  Keep him in your prayers.

 

EVELYN PENNINGTON and I visited Thursday and she was dealing with a bad chest cold and hard coughing.  She wanted me to tell everyone at church hello and that she misses being here.  Keep her in your prayers.

 

What Cancer Cannot Do

Cancer is so limited -

It cannot cripple love

It cannot shatter hope

It cannot corrode faith

It cannot destroy peace

It cannot kill friendships

It cannot suppress memories

It cannot challenge courage

It cannot invade the soul

It cannot steal eternal life

It cannot conquer the Spirit

— Submitted by Edith Speer, 9-10-07

 

PRAY FOR: Tyler Moore (auto accident), Jeff Stoneman (cancer, by Whaley), Frank Toth (tests), Terry James (cancer, by Roper), Evelyn Pennington, Emory Macy (broke hip 9-10), Jason Dishong (by G. Whaley), / Pastor Beder (cancer, Peru), Pastor Jack Hearp, Kate Liauw (28, MS, by R Phillis), Amy Gunselman (cancer, by R Phillis), Ruby Korode, Lucinda (by Szekely), Gene & Gloria Faehnrich, Edith Speer, Grady Hudspeth*, Jacob Hinton*, Kathy & Destiny Reed + current pregnancy*, (*by Skip), W.C. & Craig Blank­en­ship, College students: Jackie Schuld, Dan & Rachel Cain (internship / teaching degree), Shut-ins: Helen Matthews, Evelyn Pennington Military: Rodger Schuld, Those serving in other countries: Lupe Badillo-Mexico, Tracy Zhykhovich-Russia, Beder Ucañay-Peru, Pastors in Malawi &  Mozambique, Lesly Bertrand and the Pastors in Haiti. Colleges / Churches: RRCC, ABC, Golden Rule, Grace Breth­ren and for the peace of Je­ru­sa­lem, Ps. 122:6; Isa. 62:6, 7

 

September 2007

30   “Snowbird Social” for Al and Arlene Szekely / Homecoming / David Swartz

 

Future dates: Oct. 7, Communion / Oct. 9, Home Bible study /  Oct 28, SS Offering to Mission Project / Nov 8-10, THRIVE Conference, North Hills Church, Springfield OH / Nov. 11, Gideon Speaker / Nov. 25, Hanging of the Greens / Dec 2, Secret Pal Social / Dec 9, Emerald Ridge Christmas program / Dec 16, Christmas Banquet / Dec 23, Christmas theme – specials

 

Musicians: (Doris Schuld and Mark Cain)

Welcome / Announcements

Worship Hymns / Mark Cain

31 To God Be the Glory

163 My Redeemer

Prayer / Offering

Special, David Swartz: “God On The Mountain”

Speaker, David Swartz: “Story Time”

Key Texts: John 1:35-42

382 Amazing Grace

 

 

"Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the

seeds; the harvest can be either flowers or weeds."

 

BOOK REVIEW - OCTOBER, 2007 by Anita Cain

 

The Blessings of the Beast

By Ethel Pochocki

Isn’t everyone welcome at church? One would certainly hope so, considering that Jesus went to great lengths to reach out to sinners and outcasts. Yet, we know that there have been times in the church when everyone has not been welcome. Engraved in my mind is a photo I saw years ago of some friends of mine, standing outside a church in Americus, Georgia, with a young man from Africa who was visiting with them. He was very black and the church was very white and he just wasn’t welcome - though I’m told he was a fine young man. My friends weren’t trying to make a statement - he wanted to go to church, so they took him.

 

This month’s review book is a children’s book with a potent message. If, like me, you enjoy good children’s books, or you know a child who does, you may wish to get a copy of the following book.

 

The Blessing of the Beasts by Ethel Pochocki - When word comes to the St. Francis soup kitchen that there is to be a celebration at the church and that everyone is invited, the listeners are understandably excited. The purpose of the party is to bless the animals and to honor St. Francis, who loved all animals. The news is delivered by three uptown roaches. They are giddy and giggling, but Erasmus, the roach elder, puts the kibosh on the whole idea, saying they wouldn’t be going because the trip was too dangerous, and even if they made it, they wouldn’t be let inside. They’d promptly be squashed! Francesca roach, named for Francis, continued to dream, however. She decided to ask her friend Martin the skunk about it. They’d been fast friends since they met in a trash can when he startled her by rising from the garbage, wearing a cap of coleslaw and a mustache of yogurt. Martin tells her he thinks the party is for respectable animals - not roaches and skunks. Gently he informs her that they are outcasts. But they decide to go anyway, and I won’t spoil the ending! Children (and even adults, believe it or not) will enjoy cheering for the downtrodden in this delightfully-told tale with exquisite illustrations.