Laundry is one of those things everyone has to do, unless you can get someone else to do it for you! As you know, the clothes must be sorted—dark colors separate from the whites and lighter colors. (Some of us learn this the hard way, like I did in college: I put my new red gym clothes in with my whites and everything came out pink.) Some items have to be washed in the gentle cycle with a different detergent. And we all know what happens when you forget and put a delicate item in the dryer!
We take special care of our clothes, but we sometimes forget people need the same consideration. We don’t have too much trouble with the obvious, such as illnesses, handicaps or difficult circumstances, but we can’t see inside and know what people are thinking and that’s when trouble comes.
It’s so easy to look at someone and make judgments. The story of Samuel going out to choose a new king from the whole pack of Jesse’s sons is a classic. Who would have thought God had David in mind? Even Samuel had to learn this lesson: “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, NLT throughout).
With people we’ve just met, and even with ones we’ve known a long time, we have to be careful not to make assumptions. We don’t know what they’ve experienced and have no idea how those experiences have affected them.
In Colossians 3:12-14, we are reminded of how we should treat one another: “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
The New Testament has many “one another” statements, including Ephesians 4:31-32: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
How we treat others is important for many reasons. As believers, we are part of the body of Christ. No one hates his or her own body, but cherishes it (Ephesians 5:29). We are made in the image of God, so when we mistreat or dishonor others, we are dishonoring God. The Golden Rule isn’t a cliché. We need to treat others in the same way we would like to be treated, remembering we all have our own struggles, some apparent to others, many hidden deep inside, known only to us and God.
Next time you’re sorting laundry, take a moment to think of the people in your life and the special consideration each one needs. God already does this for us, treating us as individuals deserving of his own special care.