March 1, 2015

Your Judgment Is Showing

 

When they key on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." -- John 8:7

What does judgment look like? We think of a jury rendering judgment at a trial. We cringe at the thought of God judging us. But we don't consider too much how we judge others.

Seriously. We don't even think about it. Judging others comes naturally, like the sin that happens everyday. Oh, I know. You're a pretty good person. You are still a sinner. So I am. We're human. We're living in a fallen world.

That's not an excuse. Nor does it make judging others right. It's the subtle judgments that seem to hurt the most. "I can't believe she's wearing that!" "What was he thinking taking up with the likes of her?" "She'd better be grateful for anything anybody gives her after what she's done." "He does what for a living?" I could go on and on but you get the point.

We don't think of it as judging but it is. Those "opinions" of ours hurt others and honestly reflect negatively on us. Judging is a form of looking down on others, as holding yourself up as superior. You're protesting about now. You don't think of yourself as superior. You don't. Are you sure about that?

Let's take a look. Who made you the fashion critic? And what do you really know about her? Giving should be done from the heart, not because someone has somehow "earned" the right to receive something from you. And, honestly, any job is a good job when it's done as for the Lord.

So be careful what you do and say, whether in your mind (heart!) or with your voice. Your judgment is showing.