What were they thinking???

I've noticed myself, as well as countless others, asking, "what was he/she thinking?" I've asked it about politicians, famous people, my own children, and some that are very close to me and some not so close to me. Seems in conversation the person I'm speaking with will sometimes beat me to it---"what was he/she thinking?" While we are all curious creatures, me included, choices belong to individuals. We can ask "what were they thinking" all day long and in to the night,  but we may never know why people make the choices they do. in saying this I know people in my life have questioned some of my choices. Thinking my 3 ask themselves that everyday when they think I am being overly motherly. I've recently had to explain to them, that as their mom I will always try and make the best choices for me that involve them. They may not see it at the time but hopefully, always in the long-run, they will look back and know I always had them at the forefront of my mind when making choices about mine  or their lives. Either way, I own those choices and decisions-good or bad. I also know that truly the only One I have to answer to for any of my choices is my Father. He's the only One that counts, the only one that truly knows why I choose the things I choose,  good or bad. While I will always care what others think of me-others will not be standing with me when I am waiting-for my King to judge me.

I think about some circumstances that are currently happening around me and I have to point out that we all fall short. Last I checked, we are all still sinners-big ones, small ones-sins-that is. Pretty sure that not telling the truth, disobeying parents, adultery, saying "God" in vain, and all other sins are still sins. Guess I'm saying that maybe we all should not be throwing the first stone. A wise, bald-headed accountant use to tell me-"DeeDeeBo-we all are just a choice away from messing up." unfortunately, some peoples choices or mistakes are in wide-open spaces for everyone to see. Oh how quick we are to throw stones i.e-pass judgment, gossip, turn our backs. When instead, we should follow the One that the Pharisees would question by saying-how could He keep company with that dreadful woman who is an adulteress, or the woman that has bled for 12 years, how could He could drink water from the well that "that" woman drinks out of? How could He let that tax collector sit with Him for dinner, or let him follow him? I could hear them now in their most righteous tone..."What was/is He thinking?" Maybe, just maybe, we should be more like Him and reach out to those that haven't made the best choices, maybe we should accept that with a blink of an eye, in a moments time-we could be in  that persons shoes we are questioning or judging. Guess I'm trying to figure out why their "sin" is so much worse than mine. I'm fairly sure that God keeps it all real and keeps it all on a pretty even playing field---sin is sin-big or little. This blog is a reminder to me,as much as anyone, to not be so quick to judge-instead-i need to pray for that person instead of asking-"what was he/she thinking." I need to check myself-before throwing that stone. In doing so-I will realize (I pray) that I'm just as sinful as the murderer, the adulterer, bank robber-I'm as lousy as the next guy-even if I carelessly spout out in my most 'righteous' -"what was he/she thinking,"with the "oh I'd never do that" undertones. We ALL are sinners and we all are just one choice away from messing up. I believe, actually, I know-that my God believes in do-overs. Let's let Him be the One to ask, when the time is right-"Precious one, what were you thinking? You, know righteous child of mine-you don't have to answer that-because I already know-I also know that as soon as you knew you had made a bad choice you turned to Me and asked for forgiveness, and while others didn't or couldn't forgive you-I did. I forgave you when I let them nail My Son to the cross-I knew the choice you would make and I thought of it and you when they placed that first nail in His hand. I also know those that questioned you, and my dear one-I know all of their bad choices as well. Let's put it all behind us-and let Me tell you 'what I AM thinking....GRACE." Can't you just hear Him saying those sweet words. So the next time we ask "what were they thinking?" or before we cast that first stone think instead of what HE was thinking and what He cast upon us...pure and simple GRACE.