“Being Non-Judgmental” (Under the Juniper Tree S14E3)

September 23, 2021

Host: Andrew Crowe | Released Thursday, September 23, 2021

1. This is going to be one of the more difficult episodes. 2. When we say being non-judgmental, what do we not mean?

a. This does not mean we do not overlook wrong doings.

3. What does it mean to be non-judgmental when speaking of empathy?

a. We are talking about an attitude of acceptance and genuineness.

i. When we are trying to understand how others feel, we need to be ready to accept that this is the persons view of the subject matter. We may somewhat disagree with it BUT this is not about us and how we feel. We are looking to understand the feelings of another person.

4. What can we do to show this?

a. Spend some time reflecting on your own mindset before speaking to another. Make sure you are in a mindset of being calm and open to listening to another person.

b. Use certain verbal skills to show you are listening. “Ah.” “I see” and the like will show the person speaking that you are paying attention and listening. Be careful about how often you use it. I had a principle who would say “I see” literally after every sentence. It made things difficult.

c. Maintain positive body language. Sit – don’t stand. Sit facing or angled to a person. Possibly lean forward slightly.

d. Recognize cultural differences – it could be the case that someone is from a different background. Eye contact could be viewed as being disrespectful in some cultures.

5. How does Christ show this aspect of empathy?

a. Remember, this is not talking about matters of sin – We understand Christ will be the judge on the last day (2 Cor. 5:10).

b. Look to how He responded to people who were struggling with various emotional issues.

i. John 11:1-35 – Resurrection of Lazarus

ii. The Christ heard these two sisters and understood their emotional state. One was very logical while one was emotional but gave both the time they needed to express their thoughts concerning their brother.