Don’t judge

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11–12

There are many different roles that people play in our lives. Our teachers teach. Our police officers keep us safe from harm. Our government officials make laws to help society run smoothly. There are many different roles for people in our world, and for that we should be thankful. 
But one role that no one has in our world is the role of ultimate judge. That role belongs to God alone. God is the only one who can make a final verdict about people’s eternal destiny. That’s not our job.

James says that we need to be careful that we don’t try and play God’s role. We are tempted to think that we know people’s hearts and we can evaluate what is right for them in any situation. This is wrong and presumptuous. Only God has all the information. Only God knows all situations perfectly. Only God can make perfect judgments on people.

Our job is not to speak evil against people and assume we know who is destined for hell and who is destined for heaven. Only God knows. The only thing we know is that we’ve been called to love one another. His great love for us should flow through us to all people.

Read

“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. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:1–5

• Whose sin should we be most preoccupied with, ours or the sins of others?
• How can we seek to be less judgmental and more loving?
• Who is someone in your life you are tempted to judge but should be loving instead?

Pray

Father, thank you for the grace you have showered on us in Jesus. May our primary disposition toward people be love and not judgment. We know that if your primary disposition toward us were judgment, we would be without hope. But you love to show your glory through mercy. May you empower us to do the same. May people see your glory through the mercy that we show. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

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