I'm guilty of judgement

I spent the past weekend with my fellow sisters in Christ at a conference in Amathole. I was happy and learned a lot! I enjoyed every moment of that trip, minor challenges and lots of highlights. I just wanted to share a story that was a bit of a lesson and wake up call to me. The theme is: "Do not laugh at someone when you don't know their background."

Fellow sister in Christ_Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

I took a selfie with this lovely woman after I judged and laughed at her. I felt bad about it, so I couldn't go to her and say, "Hey I laughed at you, I'm sorry bluh bluh bluh." But I prayed to God for forgiveness and took a picture as way of erasing the guilt in me. 

The story began when I  didn't understand why she was in a young women's fellowship when there's one that caters for people her age...She is old and maintains that she's a young woman. I laughed when a Reverend referred to her as "mama" and she corrected him and said, "sisi". I laughed because I thought, "Why doesn't she realise that she's old and just move on with life?" She sat like an old woman,  danced like an old woman and had manners of an old woman but she felt that she was young. 

Uniting Presbyterian  Junior Branch of Women at Work

One of the ladies I sat with spoke to the other about her. This lady knew her story. She shared that "Sisi" was mentally disturbed. She used to be a teacher but lost it. After hearing that story, I beat myself up. I began to see her in another way. I realised that I didn't have to laugh at her but I did and I usually laugh at people a lot. I know its not good because we don't know what might happen to us later in life. I was wrong for judging her and when I asked her why she didn't join the old women's fellowship she said she had a mother and that meant she was a junior. "case closed." I thought. Who am I to judge?

Sisters in Christ

I just hope God forgives me and many of us who laugh at people when we don't know their  backgrounds. Its good to laugh but can be bad when it affects the one laughed at. 

I'm Paballo Seipei. I learned to laugh in moderation. I hope I maintain and not forget. 

We are one with God and one with one another!