never criticize a man until you walk a mile in his moccasins
i have felt judged lately. a lot. i've been criticized. and i know i have judged (and criticized) as well. something i've noticed in this process of relating with others is that the less you know someone, the less sympathy you have for them. the one thing about a good pair of shoes is that they are worn into and molded to fit your foot, they know your foot. they follow the curves and arches just perfectly. and they fit your unique foot well, so well it's like... putting on an old shoe. it's true, this old proverbial wisdom. to be sympathetic is to have a close understanding with someone's feelings. empathy is to recognize someone's emotions or state of mind.
please walk a mile first. walk a mile.
2 comments:
As Jack Handy used to say, "Don't criticize someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away. Plus, you have their shoes."
Seriously, though, I was at a GREAT conference this weekend, held by Renovare (www.renovare.org), an organization started by Richard Foster. They were selling, among others, a book called A Mile In My Shoes, and it looked very interesting. I didn't by it because of limited funds, and instead decided to buy The Poverty and Justice Bible, and Hearing God. Anyway, the reviews look good...
Peace!
Chris
Poiema
Uh... that's "buy," not "by."
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