Judging others and prayer two things in my mind lately

Judging one another is something that we all do. If you are someone who doesn't please stand up and be counted. But, think about a non-judgmental world.... What would that look like? Just think about it. No misconceptions about anyone... No prior ideas about anyone or anything. In my eyes this would be the perfect world. Just this week I heard a story of someone who looked at me and thought I was a horrible person for how I treated someone, when I know they didn't know my side of it at all. But.... I do the same exact thing. I am so judgmental about everything that has come my way in life. I stand on the other side and look down upon the people I have made relations with and if they have failed, I judge that person and those around them. This is what I am talking about. What if we didn't judge them, and they not judge us. I think that would bring us to a point of recognition of others where we can view them for who they are, not who we think they are. I think it would honestly open the doors of intercommunication with hundreds more people who we are not in communication with right now. I want to personally apologize to each of you who I have judged in my life... Old friends, ex girlfriends, everyone...

The unfortunate thing about this Utopian society is that there has to be judgment in life, unless we all are non-judgmental. For one person who is judgmental will cause a ripple effect like we see today.

Next, Prayer...

Recently I preached a sermon on prayer. I came to some conclusions. Prayer isn't something to be afraid of. Often times we think that prayer is something that has to involve huge words which we know nothing about. God has called us not to 'babble on like the pagans', but rather to pray simply like we see in the Lord's prayer. The Message paraphrases the Lord's prayer and the surrounding scripture amazingly. It says:

Matthew 6:5-15 (The Message)

Pray with Simplicity

5"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

6"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

7-13"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

14-15"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.

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I just love that whole passage. People shouldn't be afraid to pray... It's an easy step we can take to further our relationship with God. Prayer isn't having the ability to sound righteous. It isn't about making people like you. It is between you and God, and you can praise him, ask him, talk to him, do anything you like to in prayer.