You Think You Know

I frequently hear people say “I would’ve” in reference to comparing themselves to an individual. The mindset of saying you would’ve not done it that way or said it that way or thought that way has zero to do with you. Just because you haven’t experienced it or just because you have experienced it and you did it differently doesn’t mean anything.

Allowing our ego, and our righteousness to judge others when we have never walked in their shoes says more about you than the person you are judging. Just because you think you can relate doesn’t mean you are relating.

Growing up with love and support looks a lot different than survival mode. If you have never been in survival mode then you don’t know what you would do, say or think. If you are not a person of color and you will never be a person of color then you have zero ideas how it feels to be treated differently in a white world. If you are a man then you’ll never know how it feels to be a woman. If you are a heterosexual then you do not know the hearts and minds of the homosexual.

Just because we think we know what it’s like doesn’t mean we know what it’s like. I’ve often imagined what I would do if I was homeless. I think I know what I might do but when it comes to walking out the door with the clothes on my back and that’s all, I know I don’t know what I would really do.

If we want to show real love and walk like Jesus walked when he was on earth then we have to let go of judging and condemning everyone for things we don’t know and probably will never know. Just because you think you know does not mean you know.