Things Are Not Always As They Appear

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the woman who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
 
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
 
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the park and blocking our pathway are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go walking together. 
  
Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.