I Might

"I'll never."

I was thinking on that phrase the other day. It's a something I used to say a lot before I had children. I'll never let them watch TV just as a babysitter, I'll never give in and use disposable diapers, I'll never bottle feed.

I ate crow time and time again. Most especially when I let my two year old watch TV so I could get his brother's bottle's ready. They were both in disposables at the time.

I still use it too often, I'll never let my kids have a TV in their rooms, I'll never let my boys get a tattoo, I'll never have cosmetic surgery, I'll never....

The problem is with the "I'll never", is I usually say it to myself after I see someone who does.

I haven't walked a step in their shoes and yet I am arrogant enough to state my future superiority to them. With absolute certainty no less. I have no idea the circumstances that lead to that decision or the agony they felt as they wrestled with previously held ideals versus the situation that is. And yet I tell myself that I am better.

As an aside, it's amazing how many times I make myself cringe when I am alone with my thoughts and my God.

But it's funny, while I make the arrogant I'll never statements about lifestyle choices people make, I don't for the bigger issues of life. The failures. The biggies like adultery, addictions, abuse. The veering off course that so easily happens. I don't avoid passing judgement because I'm a great person, see above paragraph, but because I was wisely parented.

A long time ago I was a rather haughty teenager. A friend had committed a sin and the results of that were very life changing and very public. I had yet to fall into that sin myself. Some of my group were condemning her privately. My very wise father took my sister and I aside and told us something that I doubt I will ever forget.

"You might."

"You say you won't now, but the temptation is still before you. You aren't out of danger yet. I hope and pray that you don't commit this sin, your mom and I believe in you, but you might. So who are you to judge her for something that you too might do some day."

If I can offer grace in the big stuff, knowing full well that could be me, maybe I can be more flexible in looking at the choices people make knowing that my life is hardly set in stone and while I don't I will do those things right now,

I might.