Looking for God outside the in-crowd

March 21, 2021March 22, 2021 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: judging

In seventh grade, the worst 15 minutes of my day were the first 15 minutes. It was the moment when I got off the school bus and faced the challenge of finding a group of boys to hang out with until the bell rang. It was a high stakes game of fitting in and I was usually losing. Outside the building were circles of kids standing around talking, reflecting their places in the social hierarchy. There was the popular crew, the druggies, the “trashy” kids, the smart girls, the “band nerds,” and the handful of African American kids in our…

I complained about a cashier, and I won’t forget her boss’s response

November 29, 2020February 2, 2022 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: judging · judgmentalism · kindness

It was Christmas Eve at the Hallmark store and the elderly cashier didn’t even look up when I said hello. I thought she might not have heard me. “Merry Christmas!” I said. Still no response. “That stuffed animal we’re buying is for our new baby — she could come any day now.” The woman barely looked up and coldly said, “You got anything else?” “Nope — that’s it. Just a little Christmas present for my new baby.” The woman charged my card and didn’t speak. “Well have a merry Christmas,” I said with a touch of irritation. She didn’t respond….

I never wanted my daughter to be called this name — then she heard it in kindergarten

March 10, 2019 Categories: ParenthoodTags: acceptance · criticism · judging · kids · parenthood

One night when my daughter was in kindergarten I was putting her down to sleep, and as I was leaving the room, she said, “Daddy, a girl at school called me a mean name.” “What was it?” I asked. She covered her face with her hands and said, “I don’t want to say.”

Feeling drained by a relationship? Try this.

January 12, 2019May 26, 2019 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: conflict · friendship · judging · rejection

Several years ago, I made friends with a guy who volunteered at the same organization as me. He seemed like he wanted to be good friends, but he didn’t act like much of one. Sometimes he passive aggressively insulted me; other times he flattered me. He could be aloof, and then he could be clingy. But I stuck around because we had known each other for a while, and I felt like I owed it to him.

What happened when I said “thank you” to an unpopular cop

November 3, 2018 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: acceptance · grace · gratitude · judging · judgmentalism · love · rejection

One time, I met a D.C. traffic-directing cop in the line at the mall and I remarked how dangerous her job was. “I mean, people in D.C. drive so crazy,” I said. “You could get killed.” “Oh no,” she said, “don’t feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for the people in parking enforcement. They get screamed at, spat on, cursed out – you name it. It’s horrible.”

If you feel distracted in prayer, don’t worry—it’s a good thing

September 24, 2018 Categories: Growing PainsTags: grace · guilt · judging · prayer

So many times the same frustrating thing happens when I try to pray. “Heavenly Father,“ I say, but almost immediately I get interrupted by my own thoughts.

Something to consider the next time you get annoyed with someone

August 25, 2018October 17, 2018 Categories: Loving Your Neighbor · UncategorizedTags: criticism · judging · love

I was standing across the counter from the lady at the hole-in-the-wall dry cleaners and I was getting irritated. She had lost my pants and I was sure of it, but I couldn’t find my ticket to prove it. The woman kept insisting that I hadn’t dropped them off with my suit jacket.

I was smiling for the TV cameras, but I was dying inside

May 19, 2018May 19, 2018 Categories: Loving Your Neighbor · UncategorizedTags: depression · judging · suffering

I sat in the Fox News Washington studio last fall and waited to be interviewed on “Fox & Friends” about a heartwarming op-ed I had written for Fox News headlined “What happened when my daughter saw me kiss my wife.” My body was exhausted from an intense treatment for a chronic illness; a doctor had just reported that my dad would probably be dead in six months; and I felt like I was failing as a dad because I was spending too much time at work. I was lost in sea of depression and I couldn’t find my way home.

The boring preacher in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood

April 4, 2018October 20, 2018 Categories: Church · UncategorizedTags: Church · criticism · judging · judgmentalism

One time I was talking to a friend and she mentioned that when she first started following Jesus, the Lord greatly used sermons from a certain TV preacher to help her grow in her faith. Personally, I wasn’t impressed with the televangelist. Granted, I hadn’t actually listened to any of the preacher’s sermons, but that was beside the point. Everybody in my circle agreed that the preaching was little more than motivational speaking with scriptures thrown in.

Some good pieces of marriage advice I’ve never forgotten

January 22, 2018February 2, 2022 Categories: MarriageTags: criticism · judging · marriage · sacrifice · suffering

I recently got into a brief argument with my wife over something totally minor. In the moment, however, it felt like it was a huge deal (pride has a way of converting little offenses into major ones).

I made a great discovery when I stopped staring at a woman on the beach

January 20, 2018 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: criticism · judging · sin

It was the crack of dawn and I couldn’t stop looking over at the woman a few feet away from me on the beach. I had come to watch the sunrise and she was getting on my nerves.

Joshua Rogers

Finding God in the Ordinary

Tag: judging