I’m certain that phrase would, in today’s world, be construed as a racist comment. Not. But had you ever considered that you were judging someone without understanding, since you weren’t walking in their moccasins? Or maybe you were on the recipient end – that you were being judged and/or boxed but the other person had no idea what you were feeling or who you were? It truly is a philosophy and one I was raised with. Simply it means… don’t judge, especially too hastily. I also had a reinforcement from scripture:
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.”
(Matthew 7:1-5, MSG)
Little doubt, at least to me, that we should never judge recklessly and certainly not speak it out cavalierly. Does that mean that we never judge? Of course not. There are many scriptures that direct us to do precisely that – judge and act on it. It often is our ‘how’ of judging that can be at issue – the basis of our judging and what we do about bringing a brother to repentance (Luke 17:3). But that judging is far different and it has scriptural bases for that judging.
Another example: when the church in Corinth was chastised by Paul when a member was committing blatant sin and later, after the brother repented, to bring him back into fellowship. Paul says:
“For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.”
(2 Corinthians 7:10, AMP)
Bottom line is really on what basis do we judge and what action proceeds from that. So simple questions: do you know why the other person acted as they did? Have you walked in their experiences? Even if they are totally wrong, are you attempting to help them to see their misguided-ness? Are you looking at the situation from their view?
It seems to me that too often we ignore or dismiss out of hand the reasons why someone may be acting in the way they are. If we really believe the scripture that tells us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), then, if we want others to try and understand … we have to extend this grace to others (and that means even if we haven’t experience this).
Walking in another person’s moccasins is a mindset that starts from the position of grace and mercy, especially remembering that this was extended to us by the Lord so that we could experience life, and abundantly. It never ignores sins but seeks to discover the other person’s basis for their actions in order to help them to repent and come into life. My bias is that this is the best form of judging.
