I work for a father-and-son maintenance company. 

The father is jovial and easy-going, always ready to carry out his maintenance duties with a smile. 

His son is the sullen, quiet, despondent type, and I admit that I had formed an unfavourable opinion of him. 

One day I was in the canteen for lunch at the same time as his father. I asked how his son was doing. He said, ‘Well, he’s doing a bit better.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean by “better”?’ He told me his son had lost his young wife to cancer about a year ago. They had been married only one year, and his son was having a difficult time adjusting.

The father’s words made me realise how quickly and easily we can judge other people without knowing anything about them. We sometimes even pass these opinions on without an iota of information about what these people might be going through.

Everyone has a story, whether we know that story or not. Matthew 7:3 reminds me as a follower of Christ to look beyond outward appearances in my relationships with my family, my friends, and my acquaintances and to share God’s love with everyone.

Prayer: God of love, open our eyes to see beyond outward appearances to the pains and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Amen