““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.” Mt. 7:1-2
““Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37
If you’ve ever been in a court of law, or seen one on television, or know anything about one, you know there is a judge. The judge does the judging. Unfortunately, if we’re honest with ourselves, when it comes to our own lives, sometimes, if not often, we get in the judge’s seat and do the judging when it comes to others. And this isn’t like walking into a courtroom and getting in the judge’s seat. It’s like getting in the Lord God almighty’s place – for He is judge. And this is sin against God that needs to be repented of.
No matter how much we think we can excuse and justify our judging others, no matter what they have done or not done, no matter how wrong they may be, no matter how much they may be hurting us or others, no matter how far away from God they may be, no matter what their stories, no matter the details of their lives, no matter how much above all else they are hurting and dishonoring God, no matter how much they may be falling short of Him, or of our expectations or the expectations of others, the one to judge them is the Lord.
I’m been judged a lot in my lifetime, and I’ve also done my fair share of judging others. All of it is wrong. God is the one true judge. And we need to leave the judging to Him.
Struggling with judging someone, or even a whole group of people? Ready to repent? It’s time!