06/17/2025
Does our judgement of others convict our own souls? Don't we feel unclean ourselves after having passed Heavenly judgement on those around us? I can't help but think of the separation from God I have felt after having judged another's righteousness in some way. Have you ever felt distanced spiritually in this manner? Scripture is specific about our role in the judgement of others; it doesn't quibble in its language...
“"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2 ESV
In reality we know this in our hearts, our spirits, and in the depths of our souls. We see a brother or sister behaving in a manner of faith that is different from our own, and judge their righteousness based on our own understanding; then, for a moment we feel better than them. Yet, as we walk away our soul convicts us and we feel uncertain in our action and as dirty as if we had just strayed ourselves. This behavior and uncertainty illuminates a place within us that is begging for forgiveness, and it leads us to pray the prayer of the penitent for having usurped God’s authority by judging another.
I have thought about this many times over the years and wondered to myself why this is so, and about the difference between discernment and judgement. I have concluded that God alone understands our hearts and that in judging we are presuming that we know the heart of another while by discernment we are gaining our own spiritual understanding without exercising judgment.
“But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”
Romans 2:29 ESV
In the story of the rich young man, we often mistakenly believe that Jesus judged this man, but did He? In this story Jesus told us that He loved the rich man who had walked away from Him… have you ever wondered what happened to this young fellow after that brief encounter? Was he lost forever or did his seeking continue with the help of the Holy Spirit who was moving on him? Jesus never said this man would not enter heaven… he simply used this story as a lesson regarding how difficult it was for those of great earthly wealth to enter heaven. Listen to these verses…
Jesus loved:
“And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.””
Mark 10:20-21 ESV
Jesus taught:
“And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”"
Mark 10:23 ESV
And then Jesus gave hope:
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.””
Mark 10:27 ESV
As a teenager I was given a hunting dog that was deemed to be worthless by the hunting club that owned it. This dog was a beautiful English Setter, but she was afraid of gunshots. In their attempt to correct this behavior, she had undergone much discipline, including being struck when she would run or cower. Finally, they were going to destroy her, but I stepped in, and they gave this dog to me. I placed a leash on her collar and led her to my car; all the way home she laid with her head in my lap shaking and never took her eyes off of me. I petted and consoled her, but she just watched me... motionless.
For weeks I doted love and affection on her, but every time I reached out to pet her she would wince and draw back... the memory of being struck had been ingrained in her. Finally, I felt that I had made enough progress in winning her confidence that I could let her off the leash in my parent's fenced backyard. I was nervous, but knew that this was the moment of truth, so I took her into the yard and removed the leash. She stood there beside me for a moment then bolted across the yard, climbed the fence, and ran off into the woods. I searched everywhere for her. I drove up and down the roads looking for any glimpse of her and stopping to call her name... to no avail. I never saw her again.
I am telling this story because this is what we do to others who seek Christ when we try to make them conform to our ideas by judging them. You see, I didn't lose my dog... she was lost before I received her. The damage that was done to her occurred at the hand of men who felt they were doing the right thing, but what they actually did was cause her to fear and mistrust all men. What they thought to be wisdom turned out to be folly.
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”
Romans 12:16 ESV
God knows our hearts. His hand is gentle, and his training and instruction is perfect in every way. We receive the gospel from men, but God takes it from there. He knows our hearts and just how we will react to every form of instruction. When we are personally dealing with others, our desire to intercede on His behalf is often about our own need to elevate ourselves, or by feeling that we can do this better. Who are we to judge? How many seekers have we made hand-shy to the touch of God by so doing? How many lost untrusting souls have we driven to the fence and doomed to a life of fending for themselves in the woods?
So, we should judge not, we should deliver the gospel instead and then let them see God's reflection in our lives. The Lord may use the example we set as He deals with these new souls but either way, they are God’s to win, and they are His to lose; just as we are all His to love, to judge, and to call His own.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for the instruction you give me every day. I thank you for the gentle hand you use when it is needed, and the stern command when appropriate. I ask Lord that you bridle my desire to judge others and give me the good sense to leave them to your good and perfect methods. Holy Father, turn my efforts inward and teach me to seek out my own salvation while leaving others to seek out theirs. Father, you are at work in each of us and when you have done your good work in us, the judgement of our life’s righteousness rests solely with you. Never let us judge one another because our judgement is superficial, skin deep, and we know them not. Help us to discern by your Word, the gospel of Jesus, and as your Holy Spirit that guides us in what is right and wrong as we seek out our own salvation and refine our own lives of faith. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who desires that none be lost. Holy are you who are with us always and will never abandon us. Merciful are you whose grace flows through Jesus Christ and covers us… leading us measure by measure into righteous lives and eternity in your presence. Help us today as we seek discernment and resist judging… lest we be judged ourselves. It is our prayer today that all will come to you and that none will be impaired by our efforts or discouraged by our attempt at divine judgement. Use us Abba just as you used, and use, Jesus… to help and intercede for the seeker and call out to the lost. In this way we desire to glorify you and will deliver your Word to all who will hear…
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And Amen!
Rich Forbes