When something goes wrong, often the first thing we do is decide it is wrong. Usually the next thing we do is decide whose fault it is.
Then we sentence the offender and decide what the penalty will be for their sin.
Most of us know how to be a judge, jury and prison warden for every day life.
What did Jesus say about judging? He said, “Don’t do it.”
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Luke 6:37
He then went on to graphically illustrate his point.
“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, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Luke 6:41-42
When the woman was taken in adultery, the people were ready to stone her. Jesus wrote on the ground. We don’t know what He wrote. We think it may have been a list the sins committed by those who would stone her.
Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” No one stoned her.
What if every time we had the urge to judge someone, we let Jesus judge us first? What if we focused on repenting for those things for which God could easily judge us?
What if we gave up the urge to assign blame and simply asked The Lord what He wanted us to do about every situation?
When we refrain from judging and simply seek to understand, God responds in Love. He knows our heart. He knows the heart of those with whom we have issues. He reveals things we could never figure out ourselves.
And always, He will lead us back to the revelation of our own sins. Why do we not have the authority to judge? Because we are not higher than anyone else.
In God’s Eyes, all sins are equal. We are on a level playing field, all sinners in the need of God’s Grace.
When we repent before God for our sins, He gives us clarity of vision. The person we judged looks different.
If we are not permitted to judge, does it mean we become doormats? Do we just tolerate evil? No! It means instead of reacting as our emotions tell us to, we are still. We acknowledge God our Father, Who is the True Judge and we do what He directs us to do.
There is only one lawgiver and judge, He Who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
James 4:12
Let all creation rejoice before The Lord, for He comes, He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His Faithfulness.
Psalms 96:13
