Harry A. Ironside once highlighted the folly of judging others through a story about Bishop Potter, who was traveling to Europe on a transatlantic cruise. Upon boarding the ship, he found out that he would have to share his cabin with another passenger. After inspecting the room, he went to the front desk and requested to store his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that he usually didn’t use this service, but after meeting his cabin mate, he felt uneasy about the man. Based on his appearance, Bishop Potter was concerned that he might not be trustworthy. The desk clerk took the valuables and said…”Don’t worry, Bishop. I’ll gladly keep them safe for you. In fact, the other man came by earlier and left his valuables with me for the exact same reason!”
There was once a young boy who grew up in Munich, Germany and struggled greatly in school, particularly with traditional subjects like math and language. He was quiet and introverted and often found himself daydreaming in class. His teachers, frustrated with his lack of participation and unconventional learning approach, wrote him off as a poor student. One of his math professors even told him that he would never amount to anything, dismissing him as someone who didn’t fit the typical academic mold.
But the boy, undeterred by the judgments of those around him, continued to think deeply about the world and explore ideas in his own way. As it turns out, the boy wasn’t just a daydreamer—he was a genius who would eventually change the course of science forever.
That boy was Albert Einstein.
Having spent time around “sinners” and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group: I think He preferred their company. Because the sinners were honest about themselves and had no pretense, Jesus could deal with them. In contrast, the saints put on airs, judged Him, and sought to catch Him in a moral trap. In the end it was the saints, not the sinners, who arrested Jesus. – Philip Yancey