I have been volunteering at a local food pantry. People from the community can get a shopping cart of food once a month. There is no qualification needed except to live in the area. Volunteers walk through the pantry with the shoppers, letting them know the limit of various items.
A wide variety of people use the service. When I started it was natural for me to wonder what factors lead people there. That quickly morphed into passing judgement, a bad place for me to be. I was there to help provide food, not make an evaluation of each shopper. I wrote about the ills of judging in the post, The Winning Move. https://thishelpedme.org/2021/11/20/the-winning-move/
Then I remembered a commercial about a guy getting a tattoo. He was giving advice to the tattoo artist. The artist replied, “Stay in your lane Bro.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j1dx3MmBLQThat’s the tagline I needed. It worked so well I started using it any time I’m tempted to judge, not just at the food pantry. It’s simple, easy to remember and puts a hint of a smile on my face.
Coming to the place where I let people be who they are has been a long uphill journey for me. It’s also been incredibly important. Life is about relationships. When I compare others to who I think they should be, I am robbing myself of the opportunity of a relationship with who they are. Once again comparison is the thief of joy. https://thishelpedme.org/2021/02/02/the-great-thief/
I feel good after my shift at the food pantry. The people come for the food. I come for the interaction with them. If I stay in my lane, both of us might just end up with a little desert. Nothing more complicated than perception..
May you have enough today, one moment at a time.
THIS HELPED ME 
Interesting point you make. I have had similar judgmental moments.
I believe it is part of our Puritanical culture.
We should stop and ask ourselves, “Why?”
Many think a poor person has to drive a junky car, or dress a certain way.
Are people poor because they’re lazy? Or to flip the question, is a person wealthy because God loves them and wants them to be successful?
I’ve read that in some cultures, the first thing a person asks when meeting a stranger is, “Have you eaten yet? That’s probably the most generous offer anyone can make. And your service at the food bank is definitely in the right lane
It doesn’t always come naturally, but I believe it’s important for all of us to avoid snap judgments about a ;poor person, a grumpy waiter or someone who seems like they’re having a bad day.
Who knows what’s happening inside that person’s life..?
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