This week’s reading: Matthew 7:1-6
Hi Friends,
We have been discussing this Sermon on the Mount for several weeks now. We started talking about how the right attitudes bring blessings. Then we looked at how we are to be salt and light in this world, just like Jesus. Then we thought about the difference between our lower human standards and the immaculate high standards of God. Lastly, we learned how we are not to be performers as we walk our Christian life, making a show of it in order to impress those around us. But instead, we are to do everything humbly for God, and God alone. Today let’s look at an important, and often misunderstood topic: judging. Our reading this week is in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7 verses 1 through 6, but listen here to the first two:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Mt 7:1-2 NIV
Judge not. The first thing I want us to think about is what Jesus means by “judge.” Way too often, when we judge others, we are talking about their character, instead of their actions. We humans have great trouble distinguishing between the person and their deeds. We assume if someone DOES something wrong, that something in them, themselves, is wrong. We condemn the person for their bad actions. This is similar to the saying, “We through out the baby with the bath water.” Here we can clearly see this is a big mistake. After all, it is the water that is dirty, but the baby is clean, so why would we discard both, right? The issue is easy to understand when we think about it this way. Just as it is ridiculous, and deadly to the baby, to get rid of both, it is dangerous to look at something someone DOES that seems inappropriate and assume that they, themselves, are evil. We must learn to discern the WHO from the DO. In other words, we must stop condemning the person instead of judging their deed. Another helpful saying when it comes to growing in this area of our lives is “Don’t judge the book by its cover.” Many times what we DO in any given moment does not truly reflect our heart, WHO we are inside. Which one of us hasn’t had “a moment” where we lose our religion, right? Judging is talking about the person’s character, WHO they are. When we judge, we are saying that the person is evil and deserves condemnation. We tend to believe that the person who did a wrong thing, should be dismissed and punished for all time. We devalue the person, instead of the action. This type of judging never looks at a person’s heart, never takes into consideration their background, what has happened to them in the past, what may have influenced their decisions and actions, if they belong to Christ, where their maturity level is, and so on and so on. We simply see the bad move and write them off as bad people. When Jesus speaks about judging, this is one of the things He has in mind. Once again, when we judge someone, we are saying that the person, them self, is evil. Learning to tell the difference between the human (their WHO) and the actions (their DO)…this takes growth.
Discernment yes. Discernment is a gift from God. The dictionary defines it this way: “the ability to judge well.” Or in other words, to know the difference between the character of the person and the quality of what they did. It is as we become born again, and begin to mature in Christ, that we are able to use this gift, more and more. We should never judge others because we don’t know their heart, but we should discern what they are doing. Discernment does not talk about the person, but only about the action that is witnessed. It would be foolish to see someone, perhaps insulting and be rude to another person, and say something like, “Well, I cannot judge!” Obviously, the action was wrong. And it would be doubly wrong of us not to call it what it is. I will say it again, in using discernment, we are not judging the person, but only the action. We are not saying WHO they are is evil, but what they DID was. See the difference? One more time, we judge the action, not the person. We are rightly saying what they did was wrong, but not who they are is evil. As I mentioned above, judging is condemning the person, WHO they are, saying THEY are no good. But here, discernment is judging the action, what they did, or did not do, as the case may be. It would be foolish, and in many circumstances dangerous, not to judge the action. If we see someone beat another person up without provocation for instance, and say nothing, we are part of the problem, not the solution. Now I am not advocating getting ourselves into trouble here, but I am saying as the Holy Spirit leads, we must lovingly seek ways to be helpful to others. The is key: judging seeks to hurt someone, while discerning desires to help them. We want others, who perhaps are not doing the right thing, to change so that they will be able to do the right thing, more and more. If we say nothing, how will they know what they did is wrong and that their actions need to change? Judging a person condemns them, which pushes them farther away from God Who is the only One Who can help them change for good. Discernment, on the other hand, lovingly talks to the person about what they did which, hopefully, leads to repentance and running to God so the change can happen. Do not judge a PERSON, but kindly, and lovingly, discern their ACTION. Using discernment…this takes growth.
For in the same way you judge others. So we are not to judge the person, but we should have the intelligence, and heart, to judge their actions. Yet since we all are fallible humans, still growing and learning how to draw the line between these two similar, yet opposite approaches, we often allow things to trip us up. Here Jesus is cautioning us to not allow our prejudices or projections to get in the way of how we are judging the actions of others. We must check our own heart BEFORE we judge others so we do not allow these “planks” to cloud our vision. We must make sure we are not allowing any prejudices, any preconceived notions about someone, to get in the way of judging their actions. Also we must be diligent in not projecting our own shortfalls on them. Both will alter how we are interpreting what the other person is doing, or not doing. Remove our planks first. That is, check our motives for saying what we are saying about the other person, making sure that nothing is getting in the way of how we are discerning their actions. Judging would be condemning someone BEFORE we check our own heart and motives first, because we are looking at the person, themselves, through foggy lenses. Jesus is not commanding us to be perfect before we help others, but too first clean our own mirky glasses so we can see more clearly and actually be helpful. We will be able to discern the issue at hand instead of judging the person behind the issue. And like much of life, this is a question of sowing and reaping too. If we continually sow the wrong seeds, pointing to the person instead of the action, we can be sure, in one way or another, we will reap a similar result. Others will judge us because of our actions, causing harm to our reputation, bringing pain into our lives and sorrow to our hearts. Only as we make sure we are truly being pure of heart, wanting to really help the other person, not just condemning and dismissing them, can we really help others. A pure heart to discern when we can help or when we are hurting…this takes growth.
The other person. Another issue to remember here is that Jesus is not talking about just any old person we are judging. In these verses, He is referring to our brethren. That means all those who believe in Jesus and His Gospel. These are those who we should want to help in a most loving way, because they are part of our Forever Family, a member of the Body of Christ. And this is one of the ways we grow. We come around one another in concern and love, and point out our errors so that we do not repeat them. Again we are discerning but not judging, convicting but not condemning. This is a loving action. We help each other know the truth so we can be set free from that sin, from that wrong way of living this New Life. Here is where things get sticky. When someone does not want to change, because perhaps we are still a bit immature and allowing our Pride to get in the way, we cry out, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged!” It is only with maturity that we will see the corrections or comments are done out of a pure heart with loving intentions, for our benefit. As we grow, we see that having others point out our shortcomings is meant to be helpful for us, not hurtful. But our downfallen instinct is to push others away when they are challenging us to mature in Christ. WE, the ones who are trying to correct the actions, become the ones at fault, not them, and so they misuse the verse, and miss out on the opportunity to grow. Another huge part of growing in Christ, is learning to discern when others are willing, and able, to listen and grow, and when they will reject what we say and hunker down in their Pride. Discernment…this takes growth.
Dogs and pigs. As I said above, we must learn to discern, with the help of the Holy Spirit, when someone is both willing and able to listen to the truth we desire to share with them for their own good. This last verse in our reading this week is talking about non-believers, those who have not yet surrender their hearts to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Again Jesus encourages us to discern, to tell the difference between, a heart that is open to hearing the Gospel and those who only want to mock our Faith, and cause us problems because of the Gospel. Just as Jesus instructed His disciples to “shake the dust off your feet” when they entered a town that refused to listen, (Mt 10:14) so too here we must understand we are wasting our precious time, energy and the holiness of the Gospel on these folks who want nothing to do with Jesus and changing their hearts and ways. Dogs would be people who do not know God and really have no desire to know Him. They might go through the motions, but their hearts are still their own. This may include those who are increasingly casual about their church going. Those who only want to follow traditions, checking off some kind of imaginary “holy to do list,” thinking that their own half-hearted obedience to rituals will earn them a place in Heaven. We are devaluing the priceless worth of the Gospel when we try to help these folks come closer to God. We must discern who is willing to hear the Word. Pigs, on the other hand, are those who are violent against God. They do not want the precious “pearls” of the Gospel. They rather roll around in the mud, wallowing in their sin and do not want the precious Gospel “spoiling” their lives. They will only belittle us if we try to share it, so we must learn to move on. In the end, we cannot force anyone to believe, so to try will only make things worse. Neither dogs nor pigs understand the eternal value of what Jesus has done for us. We must pray for them certainly, but we also must learn when to stay away from them too. Besides, living our Faith out in front of these, is the BEST way to teach them anyway. Discerning who and how to share our Faith with others, and when not too share…this takes growth.
Discernment. Only as we mature IN Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God our Father, can we judge correctly and discern for the benefit of all. First we must discern our own heart. Then we can begin to discern the hearts of our brethren, other believers. Lastly, we must discern the hearts of the lost, the unbelievers. Again, all this only and always with God leading us. He is the only One Who sees the depths of our heart, because He is the only One Who knows every detail of every single thing we have experienced and how we have processed it in our hearts. He has heard every thought. He has felt every hurt. He has seen why we have made the decisions we have made in life. Only God knows, and moreover, only God forgives. This side of Heaven, He will not judge WHO we are…but their will come a time, the End of Times the Bible calls it, when every human will be judged. If we have surrendered our lives to Jesus, that judgment will be awesome! Heaven will be ours forevermore. But if we have not surrendered…again, only God knows our hearts so only He has earned the right to judge. Let’s choose to lean in closer to the Holy Spirit this week and ask Him to help us use this precious gift of discernment, so that we can help one another be as mature as we can be here on earth. Every time I forget myself and simply desire to help others, I am the one who senses more peace and joy in my own life. After everything is said and done, we cannot change others, but we can love them into God’s arms so He can change their hearts. This is what I desire to do in my own imperfect way. I hope you want the same…if you do, won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
