If we are honest, we must admit we make judgments about people every day, and many times with a lot less information than the people had about Zacchaeus. We may look and see a color and make a judgment, or hear an accent, or observe how someone is dressed. We judge others on where they live, what they weigh, what they eat or how active they are in church. We seldom take the time to know the heart and find out the whys. We are all different, each with our own set of problems, concerns and ideas.
Intolerance is often a sign of weakness.
A much better trait in our human relations is to have an attitude of assuming good faith, of assuming the best of others, that they want to do well, that they are doing the best they know how under their particular circumstances. We will be much happier and will certainly make those around us happier, if we strive for the ability to look beyond the surface, to get past the whats and try to understand the whys. Barry L. Griggs is president of the Gulfport stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Type in the e-mail address you would like to send the story to. Wait until you are returned to this page.