A lesson from the laundry

438 a lesson in the laundryWashing clothes is one of the things that you know you need to do, unless you can get someone else to do it for you! The clothes have to be sorted - dark colors separated from the white and lighter ones. Some garments need to be washed with a gentle program and a special detergent. It is possible to learn this the hard way I experienced it in college. I put my new red sportswear with my white T-shirt in the washing machine and everything came out pink. Afterwards, everyone knows what happens if you forget this and put a sensitive item in the dryer!

We take special care of our clothes. But sometimes we forget that people should be equally considerate of one another. We do not have too much difficulty with the obvious, such as illness, disability or difficult circumstances. But we can not look into our fellow human beings and guess what and how they think. That can lead to trouble.

It's so easy to look at someone and make judgments. The story of Samuel, who was to anoint a king from among the many sons of Jesse, is a classic. Who would have thought that God had David in mind as the new king? Even Samuel had this lesson to learn: “But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don't let the fact that he is tall and stately impress you. He is not the chosen one. I judge differently than people. A person sees what catches the eye; but I see into the heart" (1. Sam 16,7 Good News Bible).

We should be careful not to make judgments about people we have just met. Not even those we have known for a long time. We can not imagine what these people experienced and how their experiences influenced and shaped them.

In Colossians 3,12-14 (NGÜ) we are reminded how we should treat one another: “Brothers, you have been chosen of God, you belong to his holy people, you are loved by God. Therefore clothe yourselves now in deep compassion, in kindness, humility, consideration and patience. Be kind to one another and forgive one another when one blames the other. Just as the Lord forgave you, you should also forgive one another. But above all, clothe yourselves with love; it is the bond that binds you together in perfect unity”.

In the letter to the Ephesians 4,31-32 (NGÜ) we read: "Bitterness, short temper, anger, angry shouting and slanderous speech have no place with you, nor any other form of malice. Rather, be kind to one another, be compassionate, and forgive one another, even as God forgave you through Christ.”

How we treat others is important for many reasons. As believers, we are part of the body of Christ. Nobody hates their own body but cares about it (Ephesians 5,29). We are made in the image of God. When we abuse or dishonor others, we dishonor God. The golden rule is not a cliché. We need to treat others the same way we would like to be treated. We remember that we all have our own personal battles. Some are obvious to our neighbors, others are hidden deep within us. They are known only to us and God.

The next time you sort the laundry, take a moment to think about the people in your life and the special consideration that every person needs. God has been doing this for us ever since and treating us as individuals who need his special care.

by Tammy Tkach


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