Why Does Judging Others Burden the Listener?

 "They should have done it this way"

"Then that would not have happened"

"If they hadn't done that, then this..."

"Stupid people"

"They should have..."

"He should have..."

"She shouldn't have..."

Scorn

Constant, constant

Not even just with sin

constant constant

Slowly, it broke in

Hijacked my neurons

Taught my brain a thing:

"If you should have,

you are stupid

and you could have

so you should have

so you're bad."

What is "should have,"

perchance you ask?

Oh, that's what makes it fuzzy-brain

Because "should have" is based on 

They'd have

so you don't have a chance.

You'll never be good enough

Never meet the bar

You'll never see it coming

Though you try - so hard

And this lurks, lurks, lurks

So subtle and so strong

But it's hiding in the darkness

Where your mind won't see its song

So you can't see it

Can't argue it with truth

Cuz always there it's lurking

"You'll never be enough."

Till BAM there comes a breaking

BAM there comes a saving

BAM there comes truth swinging

And out of it you see --

The contrast sets you gaping

The contrast starts you thinking

The grace sets you a-cringing

But it's there and you're thinking --

What if I've been lied to?

Surely not, but... what if?

I know I'll never measure up,

But... 

There's no standard here to meet

No bar to drop your gaze

And maybe bit by bit you can --

See the love through your haze

Your burdened part of Right

Held Perfect as the goal

But maybe, piece by piece...

Your Jesus heals that hole

And now you have the freedom

To make all those mistakes

And instead of getting judgment

There's hugs and lots more grace

Perhaps someday "should have" 

will slowly fade away

and someday maybe, maybe

Acceptance here will say

"I have the freedom now to choose 

what to do with what is here

My choices really matter

My ownership is dear."

Not because of punishment

Not 'cause you'll be wrong

But because He made you free --

And that is now your song.

Photo credits: Cardia Gong on Unsplash and  Nabil Naidu on Unsplash