“Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. Don’t condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.””
https://www.bible.com/406/luk.6.37-38.erv
I am revisiting judging others because I really find it hard to draw a line. I don’t wish to judge, but I do. For example, there are times I write someone off because their destructive actions continue. It’s not that I do not wish to help, it’s because their actions tell me they truly do not want help...yet. This does not mean I will never help; it just means the one needing help has to fall down the well farther so they are motivated to change. Am I being a judge from these thoughts and actions or am I just being wise? I condemn what I see but know I can change my condemnation if the one I condemned begins to act in a way that warrants help?
I suppose the deeper answer might be if I judge others, I must accept the same approaches I used to pass judgement to be applied to me. So, if I don’t open the door to forgiveness, God will not forgive me. If I treat others with distain, I can expect the same from God? I suppose the line is drawn when it comes to hypocrisy. If I tell my clients I expect them to clean up after themselves, I must do the same. If I commit a serious crime, I should gladly accept my punishment. If I look down in others, I can expect God to look down in me? I suppose that was why Jesus said to the robber being crucified with him he will join Him in paradise when he admitted he deserved the judgement of punishment being received.
So, the moral of this story is IF you judge someone, you can expect the same judgement given to you. If you fully accept that, you are right to judge. If you don’t accept that, do not pass judgement on others because the same judgement will be applied to you.
Sometimes, understanding God’s meaning requires a lot of reflection and struggles. I suppose attempting to reach an answer is reward in itself.
by Kent Brosh a Kawaiaha’o Blog Contributor
Alberta, Canada
