[Marisa Ross]

Matthew 7:3-4 is a powerful scripture because people often judge others without considering their own actions. Everyone makes mistakes, and I’m generally very patient, often overlooking things, which can make me a bit of a pushover. I haven’t always been that way. When I was younger, I couldn’t see the good in anyone. I would wish pain and suffering on many people and lived in a hateful state of mind, likely due to my surroundings at the time. As I grew older, I realized the world isn’t as bad as I thought and that all I truly needed was God to feel whole again. Now I understand the power of forgiveness, and I physically can’t hold a grudge. I often think about the possible situations or reasons behind people’s actions, even when they hurt me. Sometimes even good people can get burnt out or slip up, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely lost to us. How could I know if things might have worked out if I had just walked away over something trivial when we could have had eternal life together?