Huwag kayong humatol, nang kayo’y di hatulan. Sapagkat hahatulan kayo ng Diyos ayon sa paghatol ninyo sa iba, at susukatin kayo ayon sa panukat na ginagamit ninyo sa iba.

Mateo 7:1–2

Nag-travel sa Japan ang dating grade school classmate mo. Buffet dinner naman ang birthday celebration ng iyong bff from work. “Feeling blessed” ang hashtag ng pinsan mong bumili ng bagong phone. Nalaman mo ang lahat ng ito dahil sa kaka-scroll sa iyong social media accounts. By being updated with what’s happening to our contacts, we think na alam na natin ang lahat ng nangyayari sa kanila. And because most people only post about the highlights of their days, tingin tuloy natin, at ng mundo, that their lives are perfect.

‘Yung totoo, walang perpektong buhay. Walang taong hindi nakakaranas ng challenges, maliit man o malaki. When some of us read what a person is saying about his or her life, we may tend to judge and misunderstand them. We think they’re bragging. We’d say, “Hmp, kunyari pang feeling grateful, eh humble bragging naman talaga.” Others quip, “Huwaaat? Nagpa-birthday celebration, hindi man lang ako invited?” And the list of unsolicited comments, most of them unkind, goes on and on.

The truth is our tendency to judge them is a trap that leads us to envy, jealousy, animosity, and feeling sorry for ourselves. Can’t we just be happy for them? If we just wait patiently for our turn, God may send us blessings beyond what we even asked or imagined.

Moreover, what we see on social media is not the whole story. Hindi nga natin alam baka their trip to Japan is their breather from the stress at work. Perhaps you weren’t invited to that party because they have a limited budget. Yung bagong phone? Malay natin kung gaano kalaking sacrifice at ilang overtime ang pinagdaanan para mapag-ipunan nila ang mga bagay na ito. Besides, who are we to question whether they deserve those things or not?