It doesn’t have the ring of say, Judge Judy, does it? But I can sometimes be just as withering in my judgments of others.
Why is that?
Is it because they offend my finely-tuned sense of justice?
Maybe, because we all have it from a very early age - Mom, he took my toy and I had it first! Oh yeah, me and judging go way back.
Or perhaps I like being Judge Denny because it makes me feel superior when I slam someone else’s character flaws.
Funny thing though! Have you ever noticed how very often we most strongly condemn the flaws of others that we struggle with ourselves?
Is this what the Teacher means?
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye
and pay no
attention to the plank in your own eye?
I suppose it looks pretty funny when God looks down at Judge Denny and he’s criticizing some other sinner.
Here’s the part that’s not at all humorous:
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged…
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged... “
ReplyDeleteWhat a reminder to be merciful to one another!
Yet at the same time, many have taken this to mean we shouldn’t point out others flaws at all, because who are we? Sinners like them. While it is true that we should look very hard at ourselves, we are to help those stuck in sin (Gal 6:1-2), we are to teach and admonish if necessary (Col 3:16), we are to encourage one another not to be deceived by sin or to harden our hearts (Heb 3:7-11), we should spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb 10:24), as well, when we take care of our planks, “then you will see clearly to remove the spec from your brother’s eye.” (Matt 7:5)
I asked a class last week what comes to mind with the word, “accountability.” And the answer I liked best was “Love.” If we truly love one another, we need to point out some of the specs in each others eyes, and help one another to get those specs out. However, we need to first look hard at ourselves, and then approach our brothers with the right attitudes, of love and concern for their spiritual health - maybe with gentleness and respect (as mentioned in 1 Peter 3:15.)
David wrote:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24
As hard as it would be to ask, sometimes we need help to see our own failures. If you see in me an offensive way, please point it out. (With a loving caring attitude so I’m not too defensive, please!) For “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Prov 27:17.
I understand! I am convicted. Thank you. I must confess publically that I have been known to judge others and feel quite shameful about my most recent thoughts concerning someone that I feel wronged me. Thank you Denny and Kevin for your eloquently written reminders.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone understands that
ReplyDeletethe one who writes this blog is
still a very poor student himself.
Out of the heart, we speak. So
what appears in these posts is
some of the things I find in my
own heart every day. Thank God for
a Teacher who understands our weaknesses
and forgives and keeps teaching us.