DON’T JUDGE ME!
Have you ever tried to teach, correct, or just share an opinion with someone and their response was, ‘Don’t judge me!’ Or maybe their response was to tell you that you were being ‘judgmental’. They may have even gone as far as sharing the Scripture verse, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged’ (Mathew 7:1). Does the Bible really teach that we should never judge anyone’s lifestyle or circumstances? Isn’t telling someone that they’re being ‘judgmental a ‘judgment’? I believe this may be one of the most misunderstood teachings in Scripture.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ‘JUDGE’?
The dictionary defines the word ‘judge’ as such: To form an opinion about something through careful evaluation of weighing evidence and facts. In fact, we judge people and circumstances all of the time.
- An employer interviews potential employees and must judge if they are equipped and capable of performing the job.
- Parents pursue hiring a babysitter to watch their young children and must ‘judge’ whether or not the person is educated and mature enough to fulfill this responsibility.
- You want to hire a contractor to remodel your bathroom. You must ‘judge’ their online reviews to see if they possess the skills and character that you are seeking.
We are daily and constantly evaluating people and situations in the milieu of life. How else can we make decisions unless we are ‘judging’ with objective criteria?
WHAT WAS JESUS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID, ‘DO NOT JUDGE’?
To understand the answer to this question, we must look at the entire context of the words of Jesus.
‘Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged: and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck out of your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.’ (Mathew 7:1-5)
In this passage Jesus is not telling us ‘not to judge’, He is telling us ‘how to judge’ and ‘how not to judge’ He also tells us that there will be reciprocal consequences if we judge wrongly (Mathew 7:2)
CORRECT AND INCORRECT WAYS TO JUDGE
- Don’t be a hypocrite.
Jesus condemns hypocritical judging. Thus, he exhorts us, ‘Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye.’ In other words, don’t try to teach or correct someone in an area of their life, if you are not doing it yourself. Don’t correct people about using foul language when you have a mouth like a drunken sailor. Don’t preach to people about fornication when you are sleeping with your girlfriend. Don’t talk to people about honesty and integrity, when you are cheating on your taxes. Don’t say one thing but do another. Of course this does not mean that we have to be perfect or claim that we’ve never failed ourselves. It does mean that our life is blameless in this area; meaning that we aren’t living in any major inconsistencies.
- Judge with humility.
When your are confronting or correcting someone, do you have a posture of ‘superiority’ over them? Do your words and countenance convey the message, ‘I am confronting you and I think I’m better than you.’ Let’s look at the challenging words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:3, ‘Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself.’ When confronting or trying to teach someone else, make sure that you do not have a spirit of pride. Don’t ever think that you are better than them. It is by God’s grace that you may be ‘doing better’ at the present time. Always show a spirit of humility, esteeming them better than yourself.
- Judge with gentleness
Jesus spoke harshly to the religious hypocrites of His day (Scribes and Pharisees). Prophets of old have also spoken sternly to their people. However, when it comes to the average layman dealing with other average people, the rule of them should be gentleness when judging and evaluating. ‘Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted’ (Galatians 6:1). Let’s always remember the words of the great English reformer John Bradford, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’
Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s always wrong to judge. God’s Word clearly says otherwise. Just make sure you are being humble, gentle, and non-hypocritical. Someone has also said, ‘Praise loudly and correct softly.’ Those are not bad words of wisdom in today’s heated political climate.
