May the mumbling commence!
Judging can be a sensitive topic. Life minus judgment can be miserable. That being said, life minus mercy and grace and love will not be worth living either. The answer lies in a delicate balance. Luke records Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain” in chapter six. Within his sermon, Jesus talks about this delicate balance. Read a passage from Luke chapter six below:
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Verses 37-42)
It would be easy to stop with the first paragraph. It seems clear, doesn’t it? We are neither to judge nor condemn. Instead, we are to forgive and give of ourselves to others. It is plain and simple.
But it is not so plain and simple when you are hurt by someone else. We may hold our judgment for someone for a time; but, in our hearts, we condemn. We condemn because we know wrong has been done. We have felt the wrong personally. That cannot be undone.
It is not so easy to forgive – to deny what we understand as justice for ourselves for the good of the offending party. That is near impossible to give. But, if we choose to take this path, we will receive a great reward.
A great reward?!? What does that mean?!? I will not be judged. I am guilty and deserve a judgment. Look to that last paragraph. When I am most offended by someone else’s wrong doing, it is a sign that I personally struggle with that same thing. I see the speck in someone else’s eye. I see it for what it is because it is so evident in my life. I have a plank in my own eye.
Wow! That grants mercy and grace and love to judgment. All of us are worthy of condemnation. So forgive others and receive forgiveness for yourself. In a race of human revenge and human vengeance, no one wins – even though everyone is desperately trying to win. Let’s put righteous judgment into the capable hands of the Lord.
Yet, judgment needs to be there. Judgment is meant to be the road to healing. It removes both the planks and sawdust specks from our eyes. Have you ever had a speck in your eye? Doesn’t it seem huge? Then you see the removed particle, and it is TINY. Regardless of whether I have a speck or plank in my eye, they make it difficult to see clearly what needs to be done for healing. Judgment rendered in this type of vision is precarious and destructively dangerous.
Yes, godly judgment needs to be in our lives. Otherwise, we will follow blind leaders into a pit. Help us, O Lord, to follow the only Teacher, Jesus. From him, we will together learn the delicate balance of judgment in our lives.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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