I wrote this post because for once I felt awkward today when I met someone! I went to study at Starbucks (typical) and all of the tables were full. I spotted one bigger table with only one person sitting at it, so I asked if I could sit at the other end. I never caught his name but this how some of the conversation went:
Guy- "It's not that cold. I work in a freezer during the day."
Me- "Oh really? What do you do?"
Guy-"I actually have two jobs, that's my day job."
...boring part of the conversation...
Me- "And what's your other job?"
Guy- "I'm an alternative photographer."
Me- "Hmm, I've done candid and portrait photography before; what's alternative photography?"
Then he started to explain alternative photography to me and handed me a business card and if you know me, you must know I do not give off the impression that I am into this sort of thing. I mean, I had all of my girly pink school supplies out, my phone with a hot-pink case, my business law textbook, my skinny-jeans and boots ensemble, my bubbly personality; this just wasn't me.
I started to feel really awkward and I was thinking to myself, "God, what are you doing? This is weird. I hope someone I know shows up so that I go talk to them." Do you want to know what God answered back? He said "Kathy, stop being so prideful. Everyone's different and just because you have different interests, that does not make you a better person than them. You are all my children and I love you all equally." BOOM. Reality check! God hates pride. Proverbs 8:13 says, "To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech." Proverbs 18:2 says, "A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions." How foolish of me to be judgmental! Whenever I would start off a sentence with "don't judge me...", Daniel would always respond by saying "it's not my place to judge you". So who am I to judge others? GOD is the one true judge.
I started listening to the guy tell me more about his line of work and I could see the excitement in his eyes, showing how much he loves what he does. Then we had more small talk and I learned that he was actually thinking about going back to school and we talked about that. Though it was awkward and I will never ever ever do alternative photography, it was very cool opportunity and I'm glad I met him. So Lord, thank you for constantly giving me opportunities that humble and humiliate me and cause my love for you and for others to grow. Please forgive me for judging others and help me to glorify your name in all that I do.
"Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 2: 3 -5
