"Do not judge so that you will not be judged."
I hear people quote this verse all the time and, whereas I think there is a lot to learn from it, I think people take it to all kinds of extremes and the end result is not love, but more judging.
There are those who think it is their job to point out every little thing in people's lives that is different from their own, making sure they let them know they are "wrong." As if it's okay to judge people for judging? Huh?
Those who are less conservative call the conservatives "legalistic" and those who are more conservative call those with less "rules" liberal. All of the non believers see the name calling and call us "crazy Christians."
There are those who think it is their job to point out every little thing in people's lives that is different from their own, making sure they let them know they are "wrong." As if it's okay to judge people for judging? Huh?
Those who are less conservative call the conservatives "legalistic" and those who are more conservative call those with less "rules" liberal. All of the non believers see the name calling and call us "crazy Christians."
We become so focused on being free in our beliefs that we think everyone else needs to be like us to be happy; this is typically when we become "loud" like a "gong or cymbal" (If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 NASB). In all honesty, we do not treat other believers with love, do we? Then there are the Christians who are a little more "out there" than us; we laugh at them, mocking their beliefs because they don't live as we do.
Who ever said we have the right to do this? I have been convicted at how little respect I have for people who don't believe the same things as I. Not to mention a lack of love. It makes me sad to know I have been a part of a problem instead of a revolution of love. I see people with tattoos, I judge their lifestyle. I see people who smoke, I roll my eyes and mumble remarks under my breath. I see people who are dressed differently than me, and I comment on how "weird" or "creepy" they look. Somebody has a lip ring? "That's just not right!" we say. See, people will believe differently than me depending on what they have convictions about, and that's okay! Tattoos, clothing styles, bad habits, piercings....all of these things are on the OUTSIDE, and because of my judgmental attitude, I won't ever meet them to see what their heart looks like. I have turned away a potential relationship with someone because of how they look? How totally un-Christ like! In John 4 we read about the women Jesus meets at the well. You find out she has been married 5 times and was living with a man whom she wasn't married to; did this stop Jesus from talking to her, from sharing with her the good news of eternal life? No! He openly shared with her. THIS is the example of Christ. Do we ever even get far enough past judgmental thoughts that we are even able to have a conversation with people?
The only thing you should worry about in people's beliefs is whether or not they have Jesus as their Savior. That should be our first concern; no matter what else you think is important. Outside of that, NOTHING else is our business. We can teach in love what the bible says, but we have to let Christ convict people how HE pleases, not as WE think they should live.
Now don't get me wrong, there will be people who don't listen to what God is saying and it's okay to point those out, as long as it is something specifically against God's word, and not our opinion.
See, there are basically two kinds of Christians today: Conservatives and non-conservatives.
The issue here is this: typically, both live to judge. The conservatives judge others for what all they DO in their lives, and the non-conservatives judge those who DON'T do certain things. Both thinking the others are in the wrong. The truth is, neither are bringing glory to God with their actions. Back when I was a kid there were many things I wasn't allowed to do. I was teased and laughed at a lot, so to make myself feel better, I would talk about the "other" people and what they wore, listened to and talked about. It made me feel better about myself and the things I did...because, in my mind, it made me feel "more holy" than they were.
Those "less-conservative" people truly think the only judgmental people are those who are "super conservative." So, you label them and laugh at them because they're different and have chosen not to do certain things, and that makes THEM the judgmental ones? How does that work?
"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at 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,' and behold, the log is 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. (Matthew 7:1-5 NASB)
When we spend all of our time worrying about what other people are doing, we stop paying attention to how we are living our own lives. This is a dangerous place, because the moment you stop holding yourself accountable for your actions, words and thoughts, they will begin to stray from the things of Christ.
Don't expect perfection from everyone when you yourself cannot achieve perfection. Don't point out someone else' faults when you have your own mile long list.
"Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” -John 8:2-7
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8
"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at 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,' and behold, the log is 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. (Matthew 7:1-5 NASB)
When we spend all of our time worrying about what other people are doing, we stop paying attention to how we are living our own lives. This is a dangerous place, because the moment you stop holding yourself accountable for your actions, words and thoughts, they will begin to stray from the things of Christ.
Don't expect perfection from everyone when you yourself cannot achieve perfection. Don't point out someone else' faults when you have your own mile long list.
"Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” -John 8:2-7
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." -Isaiah 55:8
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