Junk In The Trunk

We were a band of starving young men packed in a van like sardines traveling across the scenic state of Kansas. Our energy levels were low and are nerves were high.  Many of us hadn’t eaten a solid meal in a few days because we were cutting weight for a wrestling tournament that was scheduled for the following day.

Two months prior, I was twenty pounds heavier and enjoying college life. The wrestling season hadn’t started, so life was a breeze. I spent my days attending a few easy classes, eating fast food, and practicing my golf swing.  My nights were spent having fun with friends. I wasn’t exactly counting down the days until the start of wrestling season, and I certainly wasn’t looking forward to getting down to my weight class of 149 for the first tournament. 

The rules for this particular tournament were that you could weigh-in (no matter where you were) at 3pm on the day before the competition. This was a rare exception as most tournaments required you to be on site and weigh-in two hours prior to the start of action--all under the watchful eye of an official.

The few hours prior to a weigh-in always seemed like an eternity. I never felt like doing much, so I would often resort to staring at the clock while I dreamed of stuffing my skinny face with anything that resembled food. 

The clock seemed to slow down with every passing minute, but 3pm did finally arrive. One of the guys from the back of the van yelled, “Coach, pull over!  Time to weigh-in!”  We all agreed by shouting an emphatic, “Yes!!”

Coach realized the seas would turn stormy if he didn't feed us soon, but he also reminded us we were in the middle of nowhere. We conceded his point after we looked out the window to see nothing but telephone poles and a few scattered cows. We reluctantly agreed to wait until we arrived at the next town to set up the scale and weigh-in.

We spilled out of the van and barreled through the parking lot ten minutes later. We had decided to set up the scale in the McDonalds bathroom. Sure, it was an unusual place to  conduct a weigh-in, but we didn't care at that point.

The first to make weight would also be the first to enjoy a delicious Big Mac, so it was a race to get undressed (the added weight of clothes would surely doom a person on the scale) and be the first in line to weigh-in.

As the line was forming in the McDonalds restroom, an older gentleman opened the door and walked in. He was visibly surprised at the scene—clothes scattered all over the floor and ten grown men standing in their underwear. He couldn’t see the scale, and he certainly didn’t stick around long enough to find out what was really happening. He simply turned around and said, “I think I must be in the wrong place.” 

Within two minutes, we were dressed again and sinking our teeth into McDonalds goodness. While I was oblivious to most everything besides the food, I couldn’t help but notice the older gentleman staring at us. I’m not sure what was going through his mind, but I’m quite confident he had made a wrong assumption.

This story serves as a reminder that it’s easy to make a judgment without having the facts. How often do we make an assumption about something or someone without seeing the whole picture? After the assumption is established it’s just a matter of time before we separate ourselves from the person we’re judging. 

Jesus dealt with this issue head on as He said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1) As we heed His counsel, we’ll guard our hearts and steer clear from the bitterness trap that often accompanies casting judgment. 

My daughter, Sophie, is a little girl of immense joy. We actually changed her middle name ten months after she was born from Sophie Elizabeth to Sophie Joy. We couldn’t deny that God had given her an extra measure of joy, and we wanted her name to reflect what we saw in her.

I asked God a while ago if He would give me the same joy Sophie possessed. His answer came in the form of a still small voice as I heard: Gabe, part of the reason Sophie is joyful is because she doesn’t presume. 

He had my attention. Sophie possesses a childlike innocence because she doesn’t cast judgment and she doesn’t make assumptions about people. Her eighteen month old eyes see the best in others—except when her sister tries to take her toys, and she says, “NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOO!”

God proceeded to deal with me in regards to a few judgments I had made about another person. He said, They may drive you crazy, but I’m crazy about them. God understood my frustration with what I had seen in this person, but He was also asking me to withhold judgment. He was bringing me back to a place where I viewed that person as a child of God, and He was quick to remind me that He was working in their life. 

In essence, God was reminding me of the truth of what Jesus had spoken in Matthew 7: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? It requires a deep trust in God, but we must allow Him to be the judge. When we’re tempted to cast judgment and label someone, let’s instead look inward and allow God to work in our own hearts. This goes against the natural bent of our flesh, but Jesus wasn’t joking when He issued the command. 

We must also remember that God wants the best for us! He doesn’t want us to judge because He understands the damage it causes us. I heard a man say recently that unforgiveness (which often follows judgment) is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will suffer. 

It may feel good to cast judgment and think we’re right, but nothing good comes from allowing that junk to settle in our hearts.

Actually, it’s kind of like McDonalds goodness. 

It may taste good going down, but….