Judging without Being Judgmental
Read: Matthew 7:1-6; Galatians 6:1-2; John 8:7
"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." Matthew 7:1-2
One thing I have struggled with as a Christian is the call to be non-judgmental in a world where we need to make judgments every day. What kind of judging does the Bible prohibit and what kind of judging does it allow? How can I tell if I am being judgmental? This topic recently came up in a Bible study class I attend. The entire class had questions and the pastor leading the class challenged us to 'rethink' how we handle the responsibility of judgment. This led me to do a little digging and I have come up with the following thoughts.
God has put us in a world where we have a responsibility to make judgments and where he expects us to exercise good judgment. There may be risks in those judgments but that does not excuse us from making decisions (the exercise of judgment). God does not want us to suspend our objective thinking to avoid being labeled judgmental. When we need to make a decision he expects us to use critical thinking, seek spiritual discernment, examine and judge all the facts and then make a reasonable decision. Decision making is not always easy especially when it involves other people and impacts their lives. This is the case when we have responsibility for others, like our children or vulnerable adults.
So what does God expect? He expects us to act in love. Acting in love is the example Jesus Christ gave us. God is the perfect judge and he judges with mercy and forgiveness so we should follow suit. Acting in love will keep us from exercising in our own best interests, will temper our need to give advice that may be good but may not serve the party who needs it and will keep us from acting like we are a 'spiritual authority.' We need to be cautious about judging other people's behaviors and choices against a standard we don't live up to ourselves. We need to accept the responsibility God has entrusted to us and seek his guidance to equip us in exercising it.
A judgmental person acts in a way that diminishes the potential in others. They act without compassion or charity, finding fault and shame in the other person. They are critical in an unhelpful way, making others feel unworthy and uncomfortable. They may judge without knowing all the facts or judge through a biased lens.
Ask yourself:
Pat Deck
Read: Matthew 7:1-6; Galatians 6:1-2; John 8:7
"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." Matthew 7:1-2
One thing I have struggled with as a Christian is the call to be non-judgmental in a world where we need to make judgments every day. What kind of judging does the Bible prohibit and what kind of judging does it allow? How can I tell if I am being judgmental? This topic recently came up in a Bible study class I attend. The entire class had questions and the pastor leading the class challenged us to 'rethink' how we handle the responsibility of judgment. This led me to do a little digging and I have come up with the following thoughts.
God has put us in a world where we have a responsibility to make judgments and where he expects us to exercise good judgment. There may be risks in those judgments but that does not excuse us from making decisions (the exercise of judgment). God does not want us to suspend our objective thinking to avoid being labeled judgmental. When we need to make a decision he expects us to use critical thinking, seek spiritual discernment, examine and judge all the facts and then make a reasonable decision. Decision making is not always easy especially when it involves other people and impacts their lives. This is the case when we have responsibility for others, like our children or vulnerable adults.
So what does God expect? He expects us to act in love. Acting in love is the example Jesus Christ gave us. God is the perfect judge and he judges with mercy and forgiveness so we should follow suit. Acting in love will keep us from exercising in our own best interests, will temper our need to give advice that may be good but may not serve the party who needs it and will keep us from acting like we are a 'spiritual authority.' We need to be cautious about judging other people's behaviors and choices against a standard we don't live up to ourselves. We need to accept the responsibility God has entrusted to us and seek his guidance to equip us in exercising it.
A judgmental person acts in a way that diminishes the potential in others. They act without compassion or charity, finding fault and shame in the other person. They are critical in an unhelpful way, making others feel unworthy and uncomfortable. They may judge without knowing all the facts or judge through a biased lens.
Ask yourself:
- am I accepting my responsibility when God calls me to judge?
- am I fearful to judge for fear of being labeled judgmental?
- am I judging Biblically and in love? What is the attitude of my heart?
- am I considering the needs of the people affected by my judgment?
- am I acting to correct, forgive, restore, and reconcile?
- am I recognizing my own faults; are sins clouding my judgment?
- am I more interested in being right than in being loving?
- am I being directed by my personal biases rather than God's directives?
Pat Deck
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