Ever have a difficult time with judging another, or even yourself? Many times we judge ourselves much more than others. Listen to this verse:Romans 14:12-14 "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself but if anyone regard something as unclean, then for him is is unclean."
When we are strong in the Lord we will keep watch of ourselves, but when we are weak in the Lord we can not only stumble and fall, but cause another to do so. This is why our walk is so important. Whatever we are doing, or wherever we are, we are an example to those around us. Someone is always watching.
We will all give account to our lives, our choices, and our ways before the God of heaven. Our friends, family, and co-workers will not be standing before us doing the judging, but as for our lives, we should live in such a way that it points others toward heaven.
Judging is wrong. To stand before another and say, "How could they, I would never do that?" is very wrong. But if not for the grace of God there go I. Just as one can stumble, so can I. Just as one may fall, I can fall in the same situation or even another they have never struggled with. But God gave us His word to judge according to. Now, if something does not line up with God's word, it does not make us judges for saying something is wrong or not right. When we hold the Word of God up, we are to judge ourselves according to His word and His will for our lives. If we are not willing to look upon ourselves and our way of life, how then can we look upon another?
For me to say it is wrong to drink, I can back that up with the word of God. For me to say it is wrong to commit adultery, I can find that in God's word and say that it is wrong. But for me to immediately judge someone for having purple hair, or wearing black finger nail polish is wrong.
I want to live in such a way that if my husband or friend comes to me and says, "Gosh honey, I love you, but what your doing is just not right." I want to be able to accept their love and their correction, so that my life can shine before God.
We are to hold one another up, not bring each other down. I should never go to another and look upon them with a judgemental eye.
Praise Jesus I do not make up the rules, the commandments and laws. It is not my place to keep track of all wrongs. But for me in my life, it is okay to judge according to God's word and say, "If this goes against God's will for me, it is wrong."
I can look to myself and sometimes I can be my own worse enemy. I can cause myself to stumble when I take my eyes off Jesus and begin to walk my own way. Sometimes the world looks really enticing. Sometimes it looks like the easier road to take, but, it is anything but. For all this world offers there are consequences to follow. I still live today with many of the consequences of my youth. Hopefully one day I can share all those with you, so you too will know your not alone. For so long I looked down upon myself for the mistakes I made. And boy did I make some big ones, but the Lord has washed that away with His grace and He has given me a new life in Him. Praise Jesus for His mercy and forgiveness.
If I am driving down the road and see a man, dressed in old clothes, beer bottles in the back on his pick up truck, I could judge him and say, that man is a drunk. When in reality, maybe that man is on his home from work and decided to pick up trash along the side of the road. We can pass judgement on others much to quickly for how they look or where they live.
Now, lets change that. Say my son comes home for the weekend with a case of beer in his trunk, and wants to bring it into my home. I can say no to him, and explain how wrong that motive is by God's word.
Maybe I have a sister who is having an affair and she wants to share all her good information with me. I can tell her in love I do not wish to hear such talk and explain why it is wrong while reading and understanding God's word.
If I am doing wrong, please, without a doubt or hesitation, please come to me and share with me that I have lost my way. In this world we live in its easy to get side tracked by all around us. I want those surrounding me to love me so tenderly, that if I stumble, I pray they come to me, open their hearts and share the word of God with me.
Do we judge the man who killed his family? Or do we judge his actions? Do we judge the woman who left her baby unattended? Or do we judge her actions? If we are ready to judge another we too must be ready to be judged. For we do not understand the motives the reasoning, or the why. For what would happen if we were in their shoes? I don't think we can properly judge another man, but we may we look upon those actions and know they are wrong or right. God gave us common sense. God gave us wisdom and He gave us His word to live by.
If all around me does not line up to His word it doesn't need to be in my life, for it will be a stumbling block before me. May I never be a stumbling block before another. May I never, nor may my actions never cause another to stumble or move farther away from the Lord, but may my life and actions be a reflection of Him.
Matthew 7:1 "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."
Who decides what is right and wrong In the world? Who has the authority to define morality for all of creation? It is not the courts, congress, the media, public opinion, the "politically correct" police, the "tolerance" brigade or even the church. The only answer has been, is and always will be Jesus Christ. You can find His opinion on a great variety of subjects in His best seller... The Bible. Jeffrey E. Ramey
One of the most subtle burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls. He reveals things in order that we may take the burden of these souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them. It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede. Oswald Chambers
I love both of these quotes, for one is teaching us not to judge others, but to stand by the word of God, and the other is sharing how those we love are placed upon our hearts so that we may intercede for them to our heavenly Father, deeply praying for His will to be alive in our lives. But may we never look to another unless we too our willing to be looked at. And as we look upon others may we always do so in love.
