"The Bible says not to judge" is a favorite response from people who do things they know are wrong. Anyone who has actually read the Bible (Matthew 7:1) knows that this is not a correct quote. After all, there are plenty of places in the gospels where Jesus told people about themselves. "Hypocrites!" "Brood of Vipers!" "Pigs!" "Dogs!" In fact, the man from Galilee would call it like He saw it.
So why did Jesus tell the people not to judge in Matthew 7? Well, beyond the favorite quoted scripture in verse Matthew 7:1, verse 2 goes on to put Jesus' words in context. "The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged." UH OH! That's sheds a little light on things now, doesn't it?
Our focus this week is Matthew 7:1-6 as we look at what the Bible actually says about judging others. The bottom line when it comes to judging others is...what's in your heart when you make a judgment? Do you truly want to correct the behavior in the best interest of the person or are you condemning them with a spiritual superiority complex? Judging others -- like many of the other topics we've discussed in this series -- is a heart matter. Jesus instructs us to remove the plank in our own eyes before trying to get the speck out of someone else's eye. (v. 3-5) I can testify that this is a good practice. Once you start to deal with your own flaws and shortcomings, suddenly, the flaws of others become less apparent. You see people through a lens of love and grace when you realize just how much love and grace you require in your own life. This is why we don't judge.
It basically comes down to what we call "The Golden Rule" in Matthew 7:12. To treat others the way we want to be treated. But let me put some shine on it....it's not just how you want to be treated by others, but also how you want to be treated by God. Matthew 7:2 lets us know that God will treat us the way we treat others.
Healthy, Helpful Judging
The word "judge" has been given a bad wrap and we automatically see it as something negative. The dictionary defines judging as "to form an opinion after inquiry and deliberation" or "to form an estimate or evaluation" However, judging the behavior of others to help bring them closer to Christ is essential to our walk as Christians -- to help others. It's how we do it that matters. In John 7:24 Jesus tells us to look deeper so we can judge correctly. This aligns perfectly with the dictionary definition. You must try to understand why a person may be behaving a certain way. Is it pain? Rebellion? Sadness? Or a simple lack of knowledge about what is right? When we know better, we do better. Judging is an evaluation and our response to that evaluation should be with the same love and grace we want for ourselves.
I'm trying to help but...
Sometimes people aren't ready to hear what we have to say. We tend to fall into judgment when someone continues to do "wrong" so we keep badgering them, ultimately leading them to think of us as judgmental hypocrites. Jesus gives us guidance in these cases, as well. In Matthew 7:6 Jesus warns us that if we continue to speak truth to someone who refuses to hear it, they will trample on what we believe and attack us. Say Amen if you know what I'm talking about. We are most effective in helping change the behavior of others through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we take that plank out of our own eyes, we can see more clearly how to help others in a way that is beneficial to them and the overall body of Christ.
|
|
|
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12 NLT
Sometimes we don't treat others the way we want to be treated because we don't want them to take advantage of us. In these times, pray to follow Jesus' instruction and show kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, and love anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pray before reading your bible. This allows God to guide you in your study. Simply ask God to help you better understand his word and live it.
|
|
|
|
Start the journey to self-love with "Stay in Your Lane"
Get the necessary tools to begin a journey of self-discovery. Filled with personal development exercises and anecdotes, Life Coach, Kamryn Adams gives readers a necessary "pep talk" to live a life filled with purpose. Kamryn's method of self-discovery is based on three principles: know yourself, love yourself, and live a life filled with purpose. Stay In Your Lane guides readers through exercises that identify your abilities and explore how to infusion passion and purpose into your daily life.
|
|
|
|
|
Independent Study
Reading: Matthew 7:1-6
- Now that you understand what Jesus really said about judging others, what will be your response to people who misquote this scripture?
- Jesus said to take the plank out of your eye before judging others. What planks do you need to remove?
- Who is the person in your life that is not ready to hear you? How can you better help this person through prayer and showing empathy versus condemning them with judgment?
- How do you want to be treated by others? Make a list. Then take the list and make a list of people for you to "practice" those behaviors on.
- Think about a time when you were behaving "badly." What was the underlying reason that only God knows? How was it driving your behavior?
Say a prayer and ask God to give you an understanding heart and to help you remove the planks from your eyes so you can better help people around you.
|
|
|
|
