from Becoming a minimalist article
Do not judge from mere appearances…” – Edwin Hubbel Chapin
For too long our world has made judgments about others on faulty
criteria. As a result, we’ve championed, promoted, and followed some
wrong people along the way. We’ve judged others on the color of their
skin, symmetry of their cheek bones, salary package, neighborhood of
residence, eloquence of speech, designer of clothing, or model of car.
We’ve been focused on the wrong things. And have made some terribly
awful judgments along the way – both personally and collectively.
Might I take a moment and recommend some new measurements? Some new
measurements that are not external in nature, but are internal…
measurements that weigh the very heart and soul of humanity. And begin
to give us a far better sense of who to trust, who to follow, and who to
champion.
20 New Ways to Judge Others.
1. Character in solitude. Our character is best
revealed not in the the public eye, but in private. What we do when
nobody is looking is the truest mark of our character. And those who
display character in the dark will always reflect it in the light.
2. Contentment in circumstance. Often times,
contentment remains elusive for both the rich and the poor. It is a
struggle for humanity no matter their lot in life. Rich is the man or
woman who can find contentment in either circumstance.
3. Courage during adversity. Courage can only be
revealed when it is required. And only those who have displayed it and
acted upon it during adversity can lay claim to its possession. This
adversity can take on many different forms, but courage will always look
the same: action in the face of fear.
4. Faithfulness in commitment. Those whose words are
true ought to be highly lifted up in our world today. Whether our word
is given with a handshake, a contract, or a wedding ring, those who hold
true to their oaths are worthy of commendation.
5. Generosity in abundance. To those who have
received much, much should be given away. Often times, this abundance
comes in forms other than material possessions. And in that way, we each
have been given much… and each ought to be generous in our use of it.
6. Graciousness towards others. Those who routinely
extend grace to others are among my greatest heroes. They have a healthy
realization that this world is largely unfair, that people come from a
variety of backgrounds, and that nobody is truly self-made… even
themselves. As a result, they are quick to extend grace and mercy to
others.
7. Gratitude despite circumstance. Those who can
find enough good in any circumstance to express gratitude are typically
focused on the right things. And those who are focused on the right
things tend to bend their lives towards those things… and draw others
along with them.
8. Honesty in deprivation. It is when we are
deprived of something desired that honesty is the most difficult.
Whether we are deprived of something physical or intangible (like a
desired outcome), dishonesty is often used to quickly take gain of
something. Those who show honesty during deprivation reveal how highly
they esteem it.
9. Hope during heartache. When heartache cuts at
such a deep level that simple optimism is not enough… only hope can
emerge. When it does, it is undeniably from a source far greater than
ourselves. And those who find it, discover one of the greatest powers in
the universe.
10. Humility in accomplishment. Those who are quick to deflect praise in accomplishment ought to be first in receiving it.
11. Inspiration in relationship. We are all in
relationship with others – sometimes in person, sometimes in print,
sometimes in other ways. These relationships should not be used solely
for personal gain but for bringing out the best in others. And those who
inspire others to become the best they can be should be gifted with
more and more and more relationships.
12. Integrity in the details. Integrity is found in
the details. Those who show integrity in the little things of life will
typically display it in the bigger things as well.
13. Kindness to the weak. It is usually the weakest
among us that are in most need of our kindness… and yet they receive it
the least because they have no way to immediately repay it. When
kindness is only shown for the sake of repayment, it becomes an
investment and is no longer true kindness. Our true measure of kindness
is shown in how we treat those who will never repay us.
14. Love for enemies. Anybody can love a friend.
Anybody can love those who treat us well… and everybody does. But it
takes a special type of person to extend love towards those who treat us
unjustly.
15. Optimism towards others. See the good in everyone. There is simply no way to bring out the best in others if you haven’t seen it first.
16. Perseverance in failure. Failure reveals much
about our heart. It reveals our character, our humility, and our
perseverance. We will all at some point face failure. And those who get
back up and try again ought to be esteemed in our mind.
17. Purity in opportunity. While character is
revealed in solitude and integrity is revealed in the details, purity is
revealed in the face of opportunity. When dishonest gain (money, power,
sex, etc.) presents itself, those who choose purity ought to be
praised. Not only do they personally sleep better at night, but they
make this world a better place for all of us.
18.Respect for authority. Authority brings order to a
world of disorder. Certainly there are numerous examples throughout
history (and today) of proper timing in overthrowing authority that
oppresses its subjects. But in most cases, authority brings reason and
order… and it should be allowed to do so.
19. Responsibility for mistake. From the weakest to
the strongest, we all love to pass the blame. I can see it in my 5-year
old daughter and I can see it in my government leaders. We are a people
that are slow to accept responsibility for our mistakes. This is
unfortunate. Because only those who can admit their mistakes have the
opportunity to learn from them.
20. Self-control in addiction. We are a people that
too often give control of our most precious asset to another. We fall
under the influence of substances, possessions, or entertainment. When
we do, our life is no longer our own. And those who retain self-control
in the face of addiction ought to be recognized as unique and judged
accordingly.
And when we all begin to properly esteem, champion, and follow those
who lead from the inside… we will make far less mistakes in choosing who
to follow.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com
