HERE COMES THE JUDGE

I realize this devotional is a little longer than most of the ones
God provides for me to share, but I never felt that He wanted
me to omit any of it. Most of the devotionals He provides can
be read in five to ten minutes, but this one may require a few
more minutes of our time.

When Satan attempts to convince us that it is too long to read,
we should respond with,
    “Jesus spent six hours in pain and agony
      to show His love for me, so I have chosen
      to spend time showing my love for Him”

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
(Matthew 7:1)

MEDITATION:
Do you ever pass judgment on others? If you do, what are your
judgments based on? Aren’t they usually based on your own
personal views of how people should be and how they should act?

In other words, if someone doesn’t fit into the standards we have
created in our mind, then they are going to be judged – by us. As
long as others do and say the same things we would say and do,
they are okay, but if they vary from our ideas and norms, then
we can feel we are justified in being judgmental of them.

Is that really fair? We may have had a bad experience with a person
who had certain characteristics, and as a result, we ‘glump’ everyone
with those characteristics, or similar characteristics, into the same
category (‘glump’ is a scientific term by the way (wink, smile)).

If judgment is based on how we believe others should act, then
what about those times when our ideas and opinions change
due to the emotional state we are in, or due to something that
has disrupted our own life?

For instance, we may see a couple with a wayward child and ‘judge’
they are bad parents. However, if our own child becomes ‘wayward’,
then we will have a new perspective toward those we thought were
not being good parents. Why? Because we adjusted our standards
based on our own experience.

Judging with a set of flexible standards is unfair and cannot be trusted.
Even if when tend to judge others based on God’s standards, we are not
qualified to take His place as judge. After all, they are His standards, so
He is qualified to judge them, but we are not.

A fair judge bases his judgments on facts that are consistent, and not
on variable facts which can often change as a result of any number of
influential factors. If judgment standards are constantly changing,
then how can anyone know the boundaries at any given time?

To emphasize the point, if someone receives a ticket for speeding,
the amount of the fine is a fixed amount; it is based on how much
they were going over the speed limit. It isn’t a different amount for
each person, based on how much the policeman likes or dislikes the
person. When the ‘speeder’ goes to pay the fine, the clerk doesn’t
change the amount due.

What about prejudging? Have you ever pre-judged others? When we
prejudge someone, it means we have made a decision about them even
though we don’t have a comprehensive knowledge of who they are, and
the circumstances in their lives. When it is someone we don’t know, we
are judging them solely on the way they look to us.

Read this brief story – it speaks volumes about prejudging:

    There was a young, intelligent university student named Bill.
    Bill was what some people call a “free spirit” or “hippie”. He
    had wild long hair and always wore the same old and torn
    T-shirt, tattered jeans, and worn-out shoes.

    Across the street from the university campus was a conservative
    church. The people there were rich, older and well-dressed. They
    wanted to help the university students nearby, but they did not
    know exactly how to do it.

    One day Bill decided to go visit this church by his university.
    As usual, he went wearing his only jeans, torn T-shirt and his
    dirty long hair. The church service had already started and
    was full, so Bill walked down the center aisle looking for a seat.

    People were getting more and more uncomfortable as they watched
    this unclean, wild-looking young man. Finally, Bill got to the front
    and saw there were no more empty seats, so he just sat down on the
    floor right in front of the preacher. No one had ever done that in this
    church before!

    By now, everyone was upset and distracted. Then, a respected old
    church deacon got up and started toward the front. Everyone was
    thinking:
        “You can’t blame the deacon, he really
          should correct this disrespectful young man.”
    Everyone was watching.

    Even the preacher stopped his sermon when the old man finally got
    to the front. Then, they were all completely surprised to see the old
    deacon drop his walking stick and very slowly sit down on the floor
    next to this young hippie. He did not want this young man to sit alone
    and feel unaccepted.

    The people in the church were moved to tears.
    Finally, the preacher said:
        “What I am preaching about today you will
          probably never remember. But what you
          have just seen you will never forget!”

That older deacon understood what God meant when He told us
to “love others” and “judge not”. He showed love to the college
student while the rest of the church body was being judgmental.
When it comes to showing love toward others, some professing
Christians get upset if someone sits in a pew where they usually
sit. That’s not an expression of love, is it?

Sometimes we judge others based solely on what we see in them
and the extent that they measure up to our own set of standards.
As a result of just one bad encounter we have with someone, we
can decide that they are rude and not very friendly.

However, that person could be going through a very stressful time
in their life, and they are desperately searching for a solution to
their problems. He or she could also be having sleepless nights due
to a constant battle with panic attacks or other medical problems.

Their closest friends know that he or she is a humble person
who is very friendly and cares about others, but right now he
or she is out of their comfort zone, and they are not being their
‘normal’ self. During their struggle with a situation, their mind
is preoccupied with something they consider critical for them,
and possibly others in their family, or circle of friends.

Sometimes another person may be acting a certain way due to
a medical condition or due to a reaction to some medicines they
are taking. For instance, a person with a hyperthyroid condition,
may seem impatient, and possibly abrupt. But when prescribed
the right medicine, the same person can become calm and patient.

Some people mask their real personality due to feelings of inferiority.
Quite often a person with an inferiority complex may appear loud
and boisterous, but they could be trying to hide their weakness from
others (it is a weakness that others may not detect, but God knows all
about it because He is God, and He knows the ‘real’ person).

Have you ever seen someone do something that wasn’t very smart and
you called them an idiot or an airhead, either in your mind, or out loud?
That is being judgmental, and God’s Word clearly tells us that He is not
pleased when we judge others!

We might say what they did was not very bright, but we are not
qualified to call the person stupid. We wouldn’t want someone
calling us names whenever we make a mistake, so we shouldn’t
be tagging others with derogatory names when they make one.
Jesus said,
    “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
    (Luke 6:31)

There are some people who are intellectual giants, but they may
struggle with simple, everyday activities. Even though they often
perform normal physical activities in a haphazard way, they could
have the medical expertise required for saving lives. If you were a
patient and the person saved your life, would you call him or her
an idiot based on the way they do other things? Of course not!

The things listed above should help us better understand why
we are not capable of judging or pre-judging anyone, and why
God is the only One qualified to judge others. God doesn’t see
just a snapshot in the life of someone, He sees the person’s entire
life from beginning to end. He knows the ‘real’ person He created.

God has the ability to see into a person’s heart and mind.
Regardless of the fact that a person may act in some way
as a result of things going on in their lives, God knows the
‘real person’ because He knows everything about the person
and not just what is seen on the surface. People can hide some
attitudes and feelings from others, but nothing can be hidden
from our Almighty Creator.

Most of us wouldn’t like to be judged by the same criteria we
use when we judge others. That’s probably why the scriptures
warn us that if we judge others, we will be judged by the same
standards we use for judging them. Is that bad? Of course it is!
    For in the same way you judge others, you will
    be judged, and with the measure you use, it will
    be measured to you.
    (Matthew 7:2)

Let’s assume that you saw another Christian succumb to some
temptation that led to sinful actions. Consequently, you judged
their Christianity to be insincere and invalid.
    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?
    (Matthew 7:3)

Now let’s assume that God sees you fall to a temptation that
resulted in sinful actions and He determines that you are not
really a member of His family. Why? Because He is using the
same measuring stick on you that you used on others. We can
see how dangerous it is when we try to usurp God’s position
as judge.
    You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye,
    and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from
    your brother’s eye.
    (Matthew 7:5)

God is telling us to spend time considering our own faults
rather than trying to find faults in other. Now we can see
and understand why Jesus gives us the command to love
each other.
    This is my command: Love each other.
    (John 15:17)

When we love someone, we spend more time looking for their
good character qualities than we do in identifying their faults
and failures (which we too often point out to them, and possibly
to others as well).

Have you ever been around someone who constantly points
out your flaws? How does it make you feel? It is difficult to
‘warm up’ to the person, isn’t it?

Now, contrast those feelings with the ones you have whenever
someone often reminds you of the things you do well (and who
may even tell others about them).

It’s difficult to be judgmental of others when we love them.
When we have love for someone, we have more patience and
tolerance of their failures and spend more time encouraging
them about the things they do (or have done) well.

ACTION:
Are you guilty of judging or prejudging others? Would you
be happy if they judged you by the standards you use for
judging them? Quite often, the things we find most disturbing
in others, can often be a major flaw in our own life.

I worked with a guy who would go ballistic when others would
exaggerate, however he was guilty of exaggerating often in his
own conversations. Whenever someone pointed this out to him,
he would vehemently deny it, but everyone knew he frequently
exaggerated.

Hopefully this devotional has given us a better understanding of
the importance of leaving judgment to God. We may also have a
better idea of the dangers of taking God’s place as judge (which
is disobeying His instructions on how to treat others).

Do you look for the good in others, or do you focus on their faults?
Do you point out their flaws and failures to them, and to others
(based on your standards and perspective)? Remember the bible
passage for this devotional instructs us to not judge others. It’s
a choice we must make if we want to be obedient to God.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, You love each one of us with a love
that wants to see us be the best we can be. When it comes
to judging others, You are the only one qualified to judge.
Forgive me for the times I have judged others. Make me
aware of the times when I unfairly pass judgment on those
around me. Purify my heart, so that I can lovingly focus on
the positive qualities in others, and so You can use me for
drawing others into Your Godly family. Help me to be an
encourager and not a discourager to others. Thank You
for being a fair judge of me, and for encouraging me to
be the best I can be. Teach me to love others as You love me.”

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