"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." - Luke 6:37
There is a significant difference between judgement and discernment. God sees people's hearts and knows their motives (Prov. 16:2). Only God can accurately judge those who deserve punishment. Ultimately, Christ will sit in judgement upon us all in the day of judgement (2 Cor 5:10). Our problem is that we like to sit in the judgement seat and pronounce condemnation upon those whom we think have sinned! Scripture commands us not to judge or condemn others, for we cannot be judgemental and redemptive at the same time. It is difficult to pray sincerely for someone while we are judging them. Scripture reminds us that God will treat us with the same grace and severity with which we treat others (Luke 6:38)
You will be helpful to others only if you see them as God does. If you have been judgemental of others, ask forgiveness and pledge yourself to let God use you as His minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5;18)
This day consider this, can I honestly pray for someone and their spiritual health while I judge them? Clear your heart of judgement if you REALLY want to pray for that person.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions” - Rev. Richard Mickelson - friend and brother in Christ and Rainer Maria Rilke (German poet)
1 comment:
Judgement: First it makes me think of the election and all the stabs that people were making at the canidates. The second thing that comes to mind is the G word...Gossip! Women, but not just women, feel the need to talk badly about another person to make themselves look good. I'll admit to falling into this trap. This is another thing for me to work on!
Post a Comment