Hwɛ ɔno nso!

My second blog title in twi, literally translated: Look at him/her too... twi has a unisex pronoun for third person singular...

I've grown up hearing this expression said in disgust, in envy, in anger, in malice and slander, or in ridicule... but they always point to this (well, they do most of the times I've heard it): JUDGEMENT! 

Hwɛ ɔno nso! It makes me feel angry the first time I hear it, usually... I turn to the direction of the bullet's destination... who is that person who dares violate the law, the written code, the accepted norm, our social pride, the unspoken rule, the very WORD OF GOD... where is SHE... where is HE??? Lemme at him... lemme at him... (trying to mimic one of those cartoon characters like Scooby Doo's nephew...lol)

That was actually the first reaction one could jolt out of me... those magic words of Judgement! Hwɛ ɔno nso! Until one day I went to IHCF (an interdenominational and nondenominational Christian Fellowship on Campus (KNUST), a member of the bigger body of GHAFES), and Asare, one of the leaders, made a statement that put me to shame, and still does today...

He said something like this, "...And when you see that lady with the short skirt and seductive dressing all you can say to yourself as a Christian is, 'Hwɛ ɔno nso!' but you don't even bother to pray for her..."

I tell you, that day I was totally ashamed! I thought he'd conclude that with..."and you don't even bother to talk to her/ bother to share the gospel with her/ bother to tell her that she is in the wrong, etc...", that would have been easy, and left me as self righteous as before... because talking to her would have been easy to wiggle out of, right? Oh yeah, it would... there are a hundred and thirty-six excuses I could coin up for that. Examples:

Oh, she was in a hurry...

She was going the other way...

She could insult me and disgrace me in front of everyone...

I was in a hurry...

I was late for this very meeting...

I wasn't in the Spirit then...

God didn't tell me to approach her...

I was late for my midsem...

I know her roommate and I know God has specifically assigned her to do that job, He never gave that job to me...

I have to go and break my fast now or I'll be late for the meeting tonight that concludes my fast today...

I'm shy...

I may say it the wrong way...

She has a gun and will shoot me there and then! After tearing up my clothes!! And spitting in my face!!! And slapping me left, right and centre like there's no tomorrow!!!! (really?? get real!)

I guess you get the point... but prayer... the way he put it, I could not find any excuse that sounded excusable, even to me! And I bowed my head in shame...

I judge, too many times. And I don't even do anything about it, most of those times! And then, the illustration Jesus used in Matthew 7:3-5 hit me HARD!!

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)

It wasn't just that I had my own issues to clear, I'm definitely no perfect saint... yet ;) ... but it was the fact that I wanted to cover up my own issues by emphasizing another's. I blinded myself to my own problems and the way to resolve them, and confused my sight to starting the process of helping the one I judged resolve his/hers. To God, all sin is sin... but all humans are in need of love, restoration, concern... prayer... and that's why we intercede... we are called to intercession as Christians, we face no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and we are called NOT to condemn as well, not to judge... 

Saying of or telling another: Hwɛ ɔno nso!, to me, doesn't only mean I pass judgement on others... it also means I overlook and cover my own flaws, condemn his/hers just to make me feel good and all "Christian" (why not? I've been able to fish out their wrong... sensitivity to the Spirit, no???... discernment??)... and it also means I'm not dealing with my own shortcomings, my sins... and  all my other hindrances that slow me down in my Christian race... I'm killing more than two birds with one stone, birds that were not formed to be executed without trial like that! 

The next time I say or hear, "Hwɛ no! (Look at him/her!)", or any "judging" comment for that matter... I will consciously remember that Jesus Christ died and rose again to save us all from sin and use us for God's glory... not my glory... and has called me to make a positive difference, which includes the very non-excusable things like a simple prayer... prayer for myself AND for them...

...and then I ask...

...will you too????