Stop Judging Me!

“God calls every one of us to treat others with love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness, while exercising self-control.”

Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1) This is a popular Bible verse that is used by people to shame their critics. “Stop telling me what I should be doing. It’s my choice. Plus, Jesus said not to judge, and that’s what you’re doing to me.” (Image by Nino Carè from Pixabay)

 

Is this what Jesus and the Bible teaches, that no one should ever voice opposition to another? Of course not, and this is not what the often-quoted Bible verse is referring to anyways.  

 

When Jesus talks about judging, He is referring to making some kind of decision or judgement about someone. The judgements can be made based on what another person has said, done, written, thought, posted on social media or even what their motives are. Jesus is not talking about legal judgements, but personal relationships. How we treat family, friends, neighbors, or even our enemies.    

 

Look at this illustration Jesus gave about judging, to help us understand, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” (Matt. 7:3-4)

 

Jesus is not saying, to never speak up and address someone’s behavior. Far from it. He encourages us to do that, and models it for us as well. Instead, Jesus is addressing not being a fault-finder or critic on minor, inconsequential things. Additionally, when dealing with people on both the small and big things, He is telling us to not have a morally superior attitude that looks down on them.

 

Here are four lessons from Jesus about why we should not have this kind of judging spirit.

 

1-Because it belittle’s others while portraying you as more virtuous. Observe in Jesus’ illustration, that the one with the log in his own eye, was completely oblivious to it. All he noticed was the speck in the other person’s eye.

 

When we have this type of spirit, all we can see are other people’s problems. We are blinded to our own short-comings, while being eager to point them out in others. This is a self-righteous kind of judging, that portrays others as inferior to you.       

 

2-Because it turns us into critics. When we have a giant log in our eye, so we cannot see clearly, we end up with a judgmental spirit on the small stuff. The situations are not moral failures, sins or crimes. No, they are trivial things people have disagreed with us on, or they have fallen short of our standards in some way. Yet, instead of overlooking inconsequential things, we focus on them and go to battle.   

 

3-Because it unfairly condemns people. When we judge this way, we treat people unjustly and inconsistently.

 

4-Because the same measure will be used against you. Jesus gives a warning to fault-finding, morally superior people. One day we all will stand before God to be judged justly and fairly. However, God says that the same standard by which we judged others, will be used against us. This is to give us pause and maybe even a sense of fear and trembling. For the Scripture says, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God…” (Romans 14:10)

 

So how are we to engage with people in both the small and big things? God calls every one of us to treat others with love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness, while exercising self-control.  

 

A prayer for you – Lord God, we praise you that Jesus came to die and rise again to give us a new heart. Because He lives, we no longer have to treat people with a fault-finding morally superior attitude anymore. Through Christ, we can be free. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Doomsday Scales of Goodness

“By God’s goodness, not ours,

can we be forgiven.”

How do you generally view yourself? A good person? I think most people would. We see that in autobiographies. They typically feature the good things people want to write about themselves. One wants to share their successes, not their failures. It is seen in obituaries too. At the end of life, they are usually written to cover the positive things about a person. (Photo from Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash)

How would you determine if you are good? Most likely you would do a scan over your life to find the good things you have done. Then afterwards, you would see if you found enough to call yourself good.

How does God determine this? Does He use the same method we would? If so, that would presume the existence of the “doomsday scales of goodness.” Meaning, after we die, we would be taken before God’s throne for our life to be examined. Next to Him would be sitting a large set of intimidating scales. Then after doing a thorough review of our life, He would place on one side, the good things we have done. Then on the other side, the bad we have done. All the while, we would be watching in fear and trembling. As God would place every good and bad thing we have done on the scales, it would tip one way, then the other. Back and forth it would go. Our eternal fate would be determined by the last thing He places on the scales. Would there be enough good to outweigh the bad?

Fortunately, there are no doomsday moral scales, so such a scenario would never happen. However, do we live as if there were?

Jesus had opponents to His message, who lived this way. They solely focused on the outward things of life, hoping in the end, it would be enough. They were Israel’s religious leaders who were careful to meticulously keep all their religion’s rules. After years of their continual attacks, Jesus publicly confronted them with the truth, “For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” (Matthew 23:25-26)

These were tough words, but accurate. What was Jesus saying? The leaders were so focused on keeping their religious rules (the outside of the cup), that they neglected the condition of their heart (the inside of the cup). This revealed a dangerous misunderstanding. The leaders presumed their outward efforts would be enough. They assumed God would take to account all the good they have done, and it would be sufficient. They believed He would forgive all the bad things they had done, and overlook the condition of their heart, simply based on the amount of good they did.   

This reveals a common human problem. All of us tend to view ourselves this way. A Proverb says, “There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.” (Proverbs 30:12) And Jesus said, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.” (Luke 16:15)

God’s view of our lives is completely different. Before God we are unclean, dirty, sinful, having a lawless and wicked heart. There is no good in any of us. There is nothing we can do to forgive our sins. We are lost and without hope – but for Jesus.

This is why He came to die on a cross and rise again. Because there is no good in us, but there is in Him! He is the Perfect One! The Holy One! The Marvelous One! We cannot save ourselves because we are dirty inside. But Jesus, the Son of God, is without sin and can save us. By His goodness, not ours, can we be forgiven. Do not trust in yourself anymore, but trust fully in Christ alone.    

A prayer for you – Lord God, open our eyes to the true condition of our soul. Let us see that we are not good enough. Let us not be deceived, but acknowledge that only you can save us. You, the Sinless One, can deliver us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Compassion, Justice and Truth in Immigration

Serena Repice Lentini on Unsplash

“As the ‘tired, poor and huddled masses’ seek a better life in America, let us be like Jesus and weave together compassion, justice and truth.”   

Emma Lazarus authored the poem, “The New Colossus,” which is emblazoned on a plaque beneath the Statue of Liberty. Part of it reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
 
The words were fitting for the immigrants who came to Ellis Island, near Lady Liberty, to begin their journey toward citizenship in America and the new opportunities it afforded them.  
 
The poem reflects the Christian ethic America was founded upon. One that welcomes strangers and helps the poor and needy. Jesus once said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…” (Matthew 25:35)
 
It has been said many times, that our country’s history reveals how America is a nation of immigrants. Therefore, we continue to welcome those who come here to seek a better life.    
 
Jesus’ family once had to flee their homeland. While still a baby, his parents escaped to Egypt from Israel. The family left quickly in order to protect Jesus from certain death, due to an order from King Herod to slaughter all baby boys two years old and younger, in the town of Bethlehem.  
 
Americans remember our history and the life of Jesus, when it comes to welcoming immigrants in our communities or at our borders; we strive to emulate the compassion of Christ.
 
But what about the justice of Christ?
 
Jesus had tax collectors’ approach one of his disciples and asked about the payment of a tax. Jesus commented on some injustice he saw in the tax, then said, “However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” (Matt. 17:27)
 
On other occasions, after Jesus healed people, He often gave them instructions in order to be in compliance with religious laws. We learn from Jesus, that though He was compassionate, He also subjected Himself to laws and commanded others to do likewise. We can reason this example in His parents, when they fled from Israel to Egypt, then back again; they did so lawfully.
 
Like Jesus, we must welcome and serve the stranger among us who is in need. And while doing so, submit ourselves to our nation’s laws and teach those whom we serve, to do the same.
 
But what if our laws seem uncompassionate? Should we not enforce or blatantly disobey them? That was not the example of Jesus. He was compassionate, while still obeying the law.
 
And what about the truth of Christ?
 
After Jesus was confronted by His opponents, He turned and spoke truth to them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? (Matt. 15:3) His words were an offense, but necessary to help them.  
 
It is true, that many immigrants come to America for a better life. But it is equally true that some do not. There are immigrants who transport deadly fentanyl across the border, others engage in human trafficking and some are criminals entering with ill intentions.
 
As the “tired, poor and huddled masses” come to America, we must show compassion, promote justice and speak the truth in love – just like Jesus.    
 
How can we bring change into unjust situations? Preach a message of repentance and faith in Christ. And when people do, their hearts can be transformed, which can lead to change in different areas of society. Then like Jesus, we must submit ourselves to those in authority, while questioning unjust laws and policies, to bring them in alignment with God’s Word.   
 
A prayer for you – Lord God, we pray for churches and other organizations showing compassion to the immigrants coming to our border. We pray for our local and federal government as they are the arm of justice. In the midst of this, O God, bring the gospel! Change hearts, that souls would follow after your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.