Have Mercy!

We see people through lenses that alter our perception for better or worse. These lenses come from our culture, biases, beliefs, and prejudices. They come with labels too, and we use them to categorize people as "Liberal or Conservative," "Good or Bad," or even "Christian or Worldly." Each of these lenses and labels causes us to summarize people, assign them value and treat them accordingly. None of our lenses and labels accurately describe a person's worth with a clear view of their heart: That's a truth only God knows. Our judgment of others extends to every aspect of our life. We do it in traffic with other drivers, but we also do it at work with our colleagues, at home with our families, and yes, even at church with each other. It’s all very human – but is there a better way? Is human nature our best guide for relating to other people? How should we respond when there’s a truck bearing down on us?