One day last summer I took the MARTA train to the airport to pick up my Grandkids when they flew in to visit. There was a young black girl sitting across from me who was eating a burger/fries. I remember thinking how rude that was and all sorts of negative things.
At the airport, I went into the newstand shop to buy some gum. There was the same young girl .... she was the clerk in the newstand and she smiled sweetly and said, “weren’t you the lady sitting just across from me on the train a few minutes ago?”
I said, “yes, and the negative thoughts creeped back in.” Then she said added, still smiling sweetly, “yeah, sorry about me eating on the train,I hated to have to do that, I know everyone was staring at me, but I had finished my shift at the hospital late because of an emergency and just barely had time to get to my other job at the airport and if I was going to eat today, the only option was to grab something to stuff down on the train ride.”
I felt so horrible for all my accusing thoughts about her and vowed I would try to never judge others. We just never know the full extent of the circumstances.
very beautiful. And we are too quick to judge. God bless you for sharing it, especially now during this time of contemplation and prayer
You were not wrong to have a negative opinion of the girl, that happens, wrong would have been to start a fight about it.
This is actually what the virtue of “charity” is about - giving another the benefit of the doubt.