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Tag Archives: Be curious not judgmental

“One Tin Soldier” by The Original Caste

04 Nov

“One Tin Solider” by The Original Caste

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago
‘Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone
And the valley-people swore
They’d have it for their very own

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure
Tons of gold for which they’d kill

Came an answer from the mountain
With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain
All the riches buried there

Now the valley cried with anger
“Mount your horses! Draw your sword!”
And they killed the mountain-people
So they won their just reward

Now they stood beside the treasure
On the mountain, dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it
“Peace on Earth” was all it said

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You can justify it in the end
There won’t be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after
One tin soldier rides away

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Brian Potter / Dennis Earle Lambert

Dear God, when I hit “shuffle” on my “Oldies” playlist this morning, this song was the first one that played. Somehow, it seemed fitting for the election tomorrow. I’ve seen a few of my Christian friends sacrifice a lot of their beliefs and make an idol out of who they want to win and lose tomorrow. I’ve seen some of my liberal friends make an idol out of who wins and who loses tomorrow. I guess the thing that has troubled me most are the Christians. The compromises made for power and influence astound me. And I’m not talking about my friends who legitimately want one person’s policy over the others. I get that. I get why anyone would vote for any of the candidates, whether the candidate is at the top of the ticket or at the bottom. But it’s the people who are preoccupied with power and influence that sadden me. The ones who want to vanquish the other side. Who demonize the other side. Everything they are doing is so incongruous with anything Jesus taught us while on earth. Absolutely incongruous.

I loved this song as a child. I even sang it in a talent show. I think it was third grade, but I’m not sure. Of course, this was 1978, so it was before you could easily buy instrumental versions of songs. I took my 45 rpm record to school and sand along with the original singers. I think a lot of the students thought I was lip-syncing because I don’t think I had a microphone. Regardless, it was one of my favorites.

Years later, we used to sing this song with the kids when I was a camp counselor. They loved it too. But I wonder how much the message is lost on us. It’s a little like watching the “be curious, not judgmental” scene in Ted Lasso, and then judging Rupert in that very same scene. We can all be very obtuse.

Which leads me to the natural place where you want me to be. How am I guilty of being what this song condemns? How do I reach for power in futility? Do I try to try to use my power over my relationships, or do I strive for your power with others? Do I lead with love? You said blessed are the peacemakers. Am I a peacemaker?

Father, let these lyrics ring in my ears today as I go through my day. Love through me. Love through the work I do. Use my life, especially the failed parts of my life, as a way to glorify yourself in the eyes of the world. Let me decrease as you increase. And forgive me for the times I have been unmerciful, unloving, unpeaceful, and unjust.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Matthew 7:1-5

31 Jul

7 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

Dear God, one thing I’ll say for the struggles and sorrows in my life. If they’ve done nothing else, they have humbled me. Oh, how they have humbled me. Especially my failures in parenting. I know I tried, but I also know that in so many ways I experienced failure. So when I see other parents maybe doing something with which I disagree, I still have nothing but love for them. I can’t judge them.

But I still find plenty of ways to judge people. Lately, it feels like I am judging the judgers. I probably need to think about that a little.

When I think about judging I think about “the dart scene” in Ted Lasso when the main character, Ted, schools a bully on judging people before you know them.

It’s one of those scenes where it’s easy to sit there as Ted tells the bully to “be curious, not judgmental” and say, “Yeah, Rupert! Be curious, not judgmental.” But then aren’t we judging Rupert? Should we be more curious about him and why he is acting the way he acts? When I see the person who is displaying hateful attitudes or doing something that offends me, shouldn’t I be more curious and leave the judging of them to you?

Father, let these words ring in my ears today: “Be curious.” Help me to be curious and to not take anything–ANYTHING–at face value. Give me your eyes. Give me your ears. Give me your compassion. And give me your words.

I offer this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2024 in Matthew, Sermon on the Mount

 

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Parable of the Speck and the Log (Matthew 7:1-5)

03 Sep

 1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

Dear God, this is part of Matthew’s recording of the “Sermon on the Mount.” First, I’ll say that it hurts to be called a hypocrite by Jesus, but it fits. Sure I’m a hypocrite. Of course I am. I’m sorry that I am. I recognize that I am.

In the TV show Ted Lasso, one of the favorite quotes people will say from the show (which is actually attributed to Walt Whitman in the show, but is apparently not really from Whitman) is, “Be curious, not judgmental.” Here’s the scene:

It’s a different take on what Jesus taught here, and it doesn’t involve the self reflection that Jesus encourages in his statement, but it still makes me think of it. There are two parts of judging someone, I suppose. There’s the empathy and hypocritical nature of it that Jesus is pointing out, and then there is the lack of compassion that “Ted” points out in this scene.

There are some people who are really frustrating me right now. Some of them make me angry. And I’ve certainly judged some of them. But you are calling me to use that as an opportunity for self-reflection. When I see the speck in their eye, what is the log in my own? And then maybe when I identify my log I can turn around and figure out why it is I do what I do in that area? What is motivating me? And finally, I can maybe then take that knowledge and apply it to the person I’m judging. Did they wake up that morning wanting to do harm, or do they think they are doing the right thing based on their experience, hurts, and wounds?

Father, we can read over this little parable so quickly and easily. We can even watch this scene from Ted Lasso, enjoy Rupert getting beat at his own game, and then not stop to wonder if we aren’t more often the “Rupert” of the story than we are the “Ted” (see Disney Princess Theology by Erna Kim Hackett). I admit that I’m guilty of it. I probably watched that scene from Ted Lasso four or five times before I stopped to wonder about the real meaning of that quote, or if I am Rupert. So help me today, Holy Spirit. Help me to embrace you and hear you. Help me to listen to you and your still, small voice. Help me to turn loose of the ways I judge others to prop myself up, and to instead find ways in which I might impact your world through prayer, service, persuasion, and suffering.

I offer all of this to you through the gift of mercy you gave me through Jesus, my Lord,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 3, 2023 in Jesus's Parables, Matthew, Parables of the Bible

 

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