PASSING JUDGMENT

        Jesus once said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2)
        This passage is often misused and misunderstood. Jesus here is not saying we cannot pass judgment on anyone for anything. Rather, He is telling us not to pass judgment when we don’t know all the facts.
        If we see a robbery in progress, it is not being judgmental to shout for help or call the police. But if we see something happening that appears wrong, we must make sure what it is before pronouncing judgment. We must ask ourselves if there is some reason we find an act to be wrong. Only when we know the facts can we pass judgment wisely.
        There is a difference between passing judgment and being judgmental. Passing judgment is calling a wrong act wrong. Being judgmental is looking to find something wrong in order to make us feel right.
        It’s tempting to be judgmental. If we believe we are living right and we see others who are not, we may feel a sense of superiority. Self-righteousness is a sinful attitude that puts us above others. We rarely see self-righteousness in ourselves, so it is one of the most difficult sinful attitudes to overcome.
        Jesus reminds us if we want to be judgmental towards others, then we must be willing to live by those same standards. But if an act is wrong or harmful, we must have courage to call it what it really is.
        We do not live in a morally neutral world. There is a higher standard God has given us to measure actions. There is a “right” and a “wrong.” It may not always be clear, but it usually is. When we see the need for passing judgment, we must ask ourselves whether we are doing it for the good of others or only to make ourselves look good.

Lord, Jesus, make clear to me today what is right and wrong, and help me to do it. Amen

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com