We are not far from those we judge. | Transitioning from one-dimensional thinking

KJ
May 13
2 min read

Updated: May 14

As I read more of the Bible, I start to see how the people we so effortlessly judged are more like us than we thought. Right now, I'm in the book of Job. His friends are condemning him repeatedly and refusing to hear his perspective. They refuse to entertain the thought that maybe all the bad things that are happening to him aren't his fault at all. Come with me as I explore the truth that we are not beyond becoming the people we judge.

One-dimensional thinking involves oversimplifying a person, situation, or idea, ignoring context and can lead to poor decision-making (Simms).

Growing up in church, we would read how Job's friends reacted and say, "They were terrible friends." It's logical to reach such conclusions. The problem is that we refuse to learn the lessons from Job's friends because we only want to see them through villainous lenses. What I see is that Job's friends have stuck to the ideals that "Good things happen to good people. Bad things happen to those who are evil," - no exceptions.

The Impact Of Generational Patterns

Job's friend, Eliphaz reached for ideals that have been passed down from generations to help him in his point, "what wise men have told, without hiding it from their fathers." (Job 15:18) I see Job's friends as men who were raised to adopt a very "black-and-white" mentality. This also reminds me of the Pharisees when tradition clouded their judgment to the point that their actions turned toxic.

The image says, "I will show you; hear me, and what I have seen I will declare (what wise men have told, without hiding it from their fathers, to whom alone the land was given and no stranger passed them.)" - Eliphaz in Job 15: 17-19

I see how in my younger years, I shared the same mentality. I saw life as "black-and-white" and refused to see anyone else's perspective. I was judging others continually- until I found myself in their shoes. The point is, I see how some of those categorized as villains of the Bible are not inherently evil like Eliphaz, the Pharisees, and King Saul. They were people who believed their way was right and wholeheartedly followed their beliefs even to the point of condemning or harming others.

Blinded by misaligned passion, they carried out "their missions" thinking they were defending God's honor, themselves, or their culture.

Breaking The Cycle of Misplaced Zeal

God has been guiding me to look at these stories as more than just one-dimensional characters acting out a plot, but as people who have their own traumas and belief systems, navigating life the best they can. This has helped me learn from the antagonists of the Bible, so that I don't unknowingly repeat their mistakes.

The image says, "Looking at these stories as more than one-dimensional has helped me learn from the antagonists of the Bible, so that I don't unknowingly repeat their mistakes."

"We are not far from those we judge. | Transitioning from one-dimensional thinking" - Written by Khenyia J. Williams (KJ)

Sources

Job 15:17–19.” The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. English Standard Version Bible Crossway Bibles, 2016

Simms, Jed. “The Dangers of One-Dimensional Thinking.” Totallyoptimizedprojects.com, 2020, blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/the-dangers-of-one-dimensional-thinking. Accessed 13 May 2026.