"If you don't have anything nice to say...

Since starting work at the county again I have been faced with gossip and people that constantly speak badly of others and judge them by appearance.  My thoughts have ranged from embarrasment to anger.. to just wanting to help those who do the talking... to understand that there are reasons people are the way they are.

Yesterday morning, I was in our central jury room, working with jurors, an elderly man who worked for a local pipe company came in, and was rather dirty.  His hands were black, probably from the greased pipes he worked with, his face had grease on it, and he looked as if he hadn't bathed in a week or two.  Immediately after he left our check-in table, a couple of our employees starting gesturing to each other and asking if each had seen him with his dirty clothes.  I was so ashamed and saddened ( our table is not 15ft away from where this man chose to sit), it is none of our business why he was so dirty, or his living conditions.   Jesus said to love thy neighbor and to be kind to one another.  For all we know we could have been speaking to Jesus through that man... I don't think he would have been impressed.  Ephesians 4:32 says " Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."   It is easy to judge people by their looks and attitudes, but the truth is we don't know what is going on in everyone else's life.  Please try not to judge others.  It is far better to be courteous, and be nice and thoughtful to others, rather than judge others, speak negatively about others.

Think before you speak about someone... and remember the old addage, If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"