*Post by Shannon Miles*

A few years ago, when my daughter was 3 years old, I was doing some last minute Christmas shopping at the outlet mall.  The stroller was weighed down with bags, it was starting to get dark and she was so over the shopping trip.  It was cold in Georgia, so I put her boots on her, which were…in hindsight…more cute than practical.  She took her boots and socks of at least 8 times.  Each time I would put them back on, a little more impatiently than the time before.  Finally, I’d had it.  I had 1 more store to go it, so I gave up and let her go barefoot.

No sooner had my 3 year old defeated me, a group of women walked by us and looked at my daughter’s bare feet in December, then looked at me in judgment.  It’s amazing how with just one look, someone can communicate so much.  Instead of feeling offended or guilty, I simply laughed.  Two thoughts rushed through my head:  (1) they have no idea how many times I’ve put this child’s boots on in the last 30 minutes and (2) I was just like them before I had kids.

Matthew 7:1-2 says “1Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

I knew everything about having children…before I actually had them.  Nothing humbled me more in this life than becoming a mom.  Whether you’re a mom or not, there may be areas of your life where it’s easy for you to judge others.  Maybe you judge your girlfriends or your husband by just taking a snapshot in time and surrounding it with assumptions.  Maybe you judge your employees before gathering all the facts.

Being a leader requires us to act in truth and grace.   I encourage you to surrender your heart to God so that He may give you wisdom to make tough calls without making snap judgments.