Latest / Rooted & Real With Keenan / Day 1: Be Curious, Not Judgmental
Transcript
- Keenan: Welcome to Rooted and Real with me, Keenan, the podcast where faith and mental health come together to help you become emotionally healthy, spiritually grounded, and mentally strong. I'm your host, Keenan, a Christian mental health counselor, and I'm so glad you're here. So if you've been following this for a while, you know we spent the last few weeks exploring biblical doctrine, which is a great subject. I've loved it. We've talked about topics like creation, salvation, the rapture, the tribulation, and other foundational truths of the Christian faith. Those conversations matter because knowing what we believe shapes how we live. But healthy Christianity isn't about just having sound doctrine. It's also about putting that doctrine into practice. How do we respond when someone hurts us? How do we manage our anxiety? How do we love difficult people? How do we become better spouses, parents, friends, leaders, and followers of Christ? That's why for the next nine days, yeah, you heard it right. Nine days. We're taking a brief break from our doctor doctrinal series for something a little bit different. I gave it a real special name. I'm calling it nine days to believe. Now Beginning today, continuing through August 5th, the day my favorite show, Ted Lasso season four returns, explore nine memorable quotes from the first three seasons of the show. Now, let me be clear about this from the beginning. This is not a Bible study based on a television show. Not even close. Our is the ultimate authority, not Hollywood, not popular culture, and definitely not Ted Lasso. Instead, We're doing what Christians have often done throughout history. Engaging with stories from the culture around us and asking three important questions. First, what does this story reveal about the human condition? Second, what does psychology teach us about it? And third, what does God's word say? If a quote reflects biblical wisdom, let's celebrate it. Let's talk about it. But if it falls short of scripture, we'll say so and we'll call it out. So my hope is that by the end of these nine days, you'll not only appreciate why these quotes have resonated with so many people, but more importantly, you'll grow in emotional maturity, biblical wisdom, and Christ like behavior, like character. So let's get this party started. Today's quote if you've been following the show, you've heard it a lot. This comes from the most memorable scene of Ted Lasso. Ted says, ⁓ curious, not judgmental. It's simple, it's easy to remember, but incredibly difficult to live. And not very easy to do. So without giving away any spoilers, Ted is underestimated by someone thinks he has ⁓ completely figured out. Instead of responding with arrogance or anger, Ted reveals that the real problem wasn't intelligence, it was assumptions. The other person had already decided who Ted was without ever taking the time to get to know him. And that's when Ted says this. ⁓ Be curious, not judgmental. So what's the psychology behind that? As a counselor, I see this all the time. our brains naturally create Someone doesn't text us back. think they're mad at me. Someone walks past without saying hello. They must not like me. Our spouse seems distracted. They don't care. Notice something with those say statements. We often confuse our interpretation with reality. So in cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, we call these cognitive distortions. So a few common ones are like jumping to conclusions, ⁓ reading. Labeling, personalizing, these thought patterns ⁓ known and will increase anxiety, fuel conflict, and they'll certainly damage relationships. Curiosity interprets those patterns. Instead of assuming curiosity, asks, else could be true? The simple question can be can completely change the conversation. This isn't just good psychology. It's deeply biblical. So if we look at James, chapter one, verse 19, says this let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. So take a look at the order of that. We listen first, we speak second, become angry last. And so if we look at Proverbs 18, 13, it says this: if one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly to And shame. In other words, assume you know the whole story. Jesus was the best at modeling this. Even though he knew people's hearts, he regularly asked questions, not because he needed information, because questions invite people into a relationship. Curiosity creates connection. Judgment often creates distance. So, what this look like during the week? What does this look like for you and me? Instead of saying things like they don't care, ask this. I noticed something seemed different today. Is everything okay? Instead of saying my child is just being difficult, ask this. I wonder what they're feeling they won't yet, that they don't yet have words to express. Instead of saying that coworker is lazy, ask this. Could there be something happening in their life that I don't know about? Curiosity doesn't mean ignoring sin or pretending wrong behavior is okay. Let me just get that clear. It simply means seeking understanding before drawing conclusions. So here's your challenge this week. Here's your challenge. Choose one relationship where you've been making assumptions. Before reacting, ask one genuine question. Listen without interpreting, listen without preparing. your response listen to understand. Then pay attention to what changes. You may find that curiosity opened doors that judgment never could. So to close this out, thank you for joining me for day one of nine days to believe. If this episode encouraged you, would you consider sharing it with a friend or leaving a review? It helps more people discover the podcast. And then tomorrow We'll look at one of the most recognizable words in Ted Lasso: believe. We'll talk about the difference between wishful thinking, confidence, hope, and biblical faith, and why that distinction matters. Until then, stay rooted in Christ, stay real with yourself, and remember: curious, not judgmental.