Before You Judge Someone, Listen: A Powerful Biblical Lesson

Genesis 3:8–9

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”

Adam and Eve had eaten from the one tree God had commanded them not to eat from. When God came to them in the garden, it was not because He was unaware of what had happened. He already knew. Yet He still called out to them, giving them an opportunity to respond.

An all-knowing God did not rush to judgement. If He did not, why are we so quick to judge?

So often, even unintentionally, we form conclusions about people before hearing the whole story. Sometimes our judgement is based on what we see from our limited perspective. At other times, it is shaped by what we hear from only one side.

A Lesson from the Garden

The way God dealt with Adam and Eve offers us a powerful lesson in how to handle such situations.

Rather than immediately declaring the consequences of their actions, God called to them and allowed them to speak. He addressed the situation directly and gave them an opportunity to respond.

This reminds us that before forming conclusions about someone, we should first be willing to listen.

A Principle for Parenting

This passage also offers a valuable parenting principle.

God listened to both Adam and Eve. His focus was not simply on determining who started it or who was more at fault. Each person was given the opportunity to speak, and each was held accountable for their own actions.

In the same way, when dealing with disagreements or mistakes, especially among children, it is important to listen to each side rather than forming a conclusion based only on the first version we hear.

Before You Form a Conclusion

The next time we are faced with a difficult situation and our minds begin to race toward judgement, let us slow down.

Let us address the situation, listen carefully, and give the person an opportunity to explain their side before forming conclusions about their actions or their character.

Listening does not mean overlooking wrongdoing or avoiding accountability. It simply means choosing to understand before we judge.

Before you form an opinion about someone’s character, pause and hear their side.