"Now Hear This" #9

DO NOT JUDGE

Jesus' teaching collided with many centuries of an inflated Jewish self image and how that played out in their everyday life. You see it throughout the gospels and the letters of the Apostles. Being the "children of Abraham" and how that was defined by their leaders and teachers, set them apart as the favored of Yahweh. And, to an extent that was true because they were His chosen people. However the prophets God sent to their ancient ancestors painted a very different picture. By the time God sent His Son Jesus into their world, the Jews were just as much in need of the forgiveness Jesus brought with Him as the Gentile world.

In His Sermon on the Mount, and throughout His ministry, Jesus taught the people to see others through the eyes of the Father, not the judgmental teaching of the Jewish leaders and teachers. Today, we also need this teaching from God as much as they did then. Hear Jesus .... Mathew 7:1-5

• "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." 

That my friends, is one powerful statement from the heart of our Father. In the context of Jesus' statement, the word means to render a verdict, to condemn someone else. We're all guilty to some extent, regardless of how much scripture we can quote or how much logic we can appeal to. It's one thing to disagree with someone's beliefs or actions and even discuss your views with them, but to render a verdict of condemnation is way above our human pay grade, so to speak.

Jesus uses hyperbole, an exaggeration for emphasis, to drive His point home.

• "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye. Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look there is a plank in your own eye." 

In my own life and experience, I have 'judged' on faulty or incomplete information and then realized my mistake later. In fact I guess that is where I am right now. Looking back on some situations, I now realize that I could have spoken or acted in a more positive way than at that time.

Now, to be sure, some measure of judgment/consideration must occur at times or we fall prey to the crafty attempts of our common enemy to control how we think and act. Truth is always true and we must be guided by that standard from our Father. However, condemnation is never a right way to communicate the will of God, unless we use His words from His Spirit.

Jesus further says ....

• "HYPOCRITE! First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Jesus seems to be reverting to His previous comments about those "scribes and Pharisees" and their practice of praying and fasting. Obviously, the general population had adopted the habit of ignoring their own hypocritical ways by following the example of their leaders. He doesn't say that there is never a time for a measure of judgment, but that judgment must begin with self evaluation and personal correction.

I have been humbled by these words of one who learned from Jesus, James 3:1-2

• "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 

I look back on many years of standing in pulpits all over the country and am humbled by James' statement regarding my teaching. Is he really discouraging us from preaching and teaching the word of God? Absolutely not. He is cautioning those of us who become teachers or preachers of that word to realize we will be judged by Jesus with a much stricter standard than others. So we must be very honest with ourselves about our attitude, words and conduct. Learning to LISTEN is more important than being quick to speak and pass judgment. And, that is true for all of us not just teachers.

So here's my bottom line, RESIGN FROM THE JUDGE'S BENCH. I finally did this several years ago and did so verbally to my Father. What that has done for me is make me much more aware of when I am thinking and then doing the very thing Jesus said for me to not do. I am very thankful to leave the ultimate judging in the Hands that are alone qualified to do so. HALLELUJAH!