Before You Judge

     Growing up, I was privileged to work in the school library at C.D. Brillhart Elementary School.  While I tended the books, I also checked out many of the biographies and autobiographies.  I loved reading about people especially the great heroes and heroines of history.  I learned so much that is often overlooked because people are three dimensional not one dimensional.   There is so much below the surface that we do not know about until we investigate more closely.  People are much like icebergs.  We only see a small portion above the surface, but often there is a much larger section below the water.  This is why I was so taken with the documentary "Warriors of Honor" that I discussed in my previous blog.

     On the surface, Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were merely Confederate soldiers defending the South and the issue of slavery.  However, there is so much more to these two men than we could possibly know unless we examine their lives more closely.  I fear that we all jump to conclusions far too quickly, or we allow ourselves to be stirred up by social media or the press.  When this happens, we may join the crowds in pronouncing judgements that are not well informed.
     Unfortunately, this happens in the church of Jesus Christ as well.  Many a good person has left a fellowship because of innuendo, gossip or judgement based only on a one dimensional view of that person.  Pastors and other leaders have also felt the sting of unfounded statements made by members of their church based on incomplete information.  This is why the Lord Jesus Christ told believers in the most important sermon He ever gave (The Sermon on the Mount) that we should be careful not to judge others:  "'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 brothers, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is a 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, Reformation Study Bible).
     When looking at this verse, we have to be careful to see what it is not saying.  We should discern between what is evil and what is good. This is what we are to do.   The footnote to the verse in the Bible explains it well:  "Jesus prohibits one kind of judging, but approves a different kind.  Condemning others for their faults or failure to exercise forgiveness; only a gentle and humble criticism that first recognizes one's own greater faults can help.  There is also a necessary discerning kind of judgment that does not condemn but distinguishes unbelief from belief..." (Reformation Study Bible, digital edition, Chap. 7:1-5 footnote).
     If we set ourselves up as the standard of conduct, we have placed ourselves in a very precarious position.  Are we perfect?  Do we have any faults?  According to the Bible, the only standard by which we can measure our lives is the Word of God.  Indeed, this is what Jesus is saying.  Before we can pronounce judgment on another person, we must first examine our own lives.  Then, we can assist a brother or sister in Christ if we see an issue in their life, but we must do so out of love and not condemnation.
     Lately, social media has been infected with poison and hysteria when it comes to national issues and our president.  People are seeing only one dimension as presented by the press or one party or another.  Instead, we need to be discerning and get the whole story.  Name calling, judgmental pronouncements and some of the vile things I see written about our leaders breaks my heart.  As Christians, we must be careful to step back and get the whole picture looking at both sides of the coin thoroughly.  This is true of the church as well.
     Judging others harshly only builds walls, damages relationships, and sets us up in a position that can only be filled by Christ.  He, alone, will judge the world one day.  As believers, we can speak our mind, but we must do so in a God honoring way not with hatred, vile words, or pronouncements of judgment on others.  Let us be fact finders first examining both sides and the history behind a person or position.  Then, we can comment.  However, let love, mercy, grace and forgiveness lead us in our speech because God is hearing and seeing all that we say and do.  One day, we will be held accountable for how we have used our words.  Therefore, let our words be sweet because one day we may have to eat them.  Selah!