What the world be like if we actually followed everything Jesus said to do or not do?
Frequently we read His Words, but then think, “Nice thought. That might work in Heaven, but not here on earth.”
Or we may take the path so many do. We try to make His Words fit in our world. We say, “We can’t take that literally. What He was really saying was …”
Recently I have grappled with His statement,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2
I started with His Direct Command, “Do not judge.”
I rather smugly thought, “Well, I am glad I am not very judgmental.”
I immediately thought of many people I think are very judgmental. I thought I was agreeing with Jesus to say that was bad.
Then He said to me, “Are you judging those who judge?”
That made me think.
I moved on through the day. Then there were the reports of murders and other horrible things. I started to judge the perpetrator.
Jesus stopped me. “Are you judging the act or the person? Do you know that person? Do you know them as I do? Are you the one to judge? Are you the one to decide their eternal destiny?
Are you without sin?”
I really wanted to say, “Of course, I have sinned, but I have never done anything that bad.”
“Oh,” He said. “I don’t judge on how bad sins are. I just judge with the same measure you judge.”
Oh …
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36
Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
Matthew 9:13
And James summed it up this way.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
James 2:13
