Scripture provides us with a very clear warning about judgment.
Luke 6:37 (NET) - "Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven."
If asked why we are not to judge, my answer would be twofold.
First, and most obviously, we are told not to judge and this, in and of itself, is sufficient.
It is the Lord’s place to judge, not ours.
But, if pressed for a secondary reason, I would offer that as human beings we have the all too human capacity to be wrong.
A coworker, for example, would likely base his or her judgment by what transpires in the workplace.
Likewise, a teacher would be prone to base his or her judgment by what goes on during the school day.
Even a fellow church member would likely base his or her judgment on the few hours per week of contact they have with a another member.
These are but a few examples and I could cite many more.
Without constant contact with another person, we really have only a glimpse at best of who that person really is or what is going on in their lives.
Scripture also provides us with some examples of people that were misjudged.
Often, they were misjudged because they were not like what people anticipated.
John the Baptist provided us with an excellent example of that.
Matthew 3:4 (NET) - Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.
John the Baptist played a pivotal role in scripture preparing the way for Jesus.
Yet because of his outward appearance he was easily misjudged by others.
Scripture even reminds us that some of its greatest men were capable of incorrect assumptions.
This was true of Samuel.
Samuel was sent by God to Jesse to anoint God’s chosen leader to replace Saul.
Jesse and his sons were consecrated.
When Samuel saw Eliab he was certain that Eliab was God’s chosen.
Samuel was incorrect.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NET) - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
If it was possible for a man like Samuel to be incorrect in his assessment, what does that say for us?
It is clear that it is the Lord’s place to judge.
This is true because He alone is Lord.
It is also true because He sees what you and I cannot possibly see.
He sees what is in the heart.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
Luke 6:37 (NET) - "Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven."
If asked why we are not to judge, my answer would be twofold.
First, and most obviously, we are told not to judge and this, in and of itself, is sufficient.
It is the Lord’s place to judge, not ours.
But, if pressed for a secondary reason, I would offer that as human beings we have the all too human capacity to be wrong.
A coworker, for example, would likely base his or her judgment by what transpires in the workplace.
Likewise, a teacher would be prone to base his or her judgment by what goes on during the school day.
Even a fellow church member would likely base his or her judgment on the few hours per week of contact they have with a another member.
These are but a few examples and I could cite many more.
Without constant contact with another person, we really have only a glimpse at best of who that person really is or what is going on in their lives.
Scripture also provides us with some examples of people that were misjudged.
Often, they were misjudged because they were not like what people anticipated.
John the Baptist provided us with an excellent example of that.
Matthew 3:4 (NET) - Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.
John the Baptist played a pivotal role in scripture preparing the way for Jesus.
Yet because of his outward appearance he was easily misjudged by others.
Scripture even reminds us that some of its greatest men were capable of incorrect assumptions.
This was true of Samuel.
Samuel was sent by God to Jesse to anoint God’s chosen leader to replace Saul.
Jesse and his sons were consecrated.
When Samuel saw Eliab he was certain that Eliab was God’s chosen.
Samuel was incorrect.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NET) - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
If it was possible for a man like Samuel to be incorrect in his assessment, what does that say for us?
It is clear that it is the Lord’s place to judge.
This is true because He alone is Lord.
It is also true because He sees what you and I cannot possibly see.
He sees what is in the heart.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
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