Matthew 7. Judging Others

1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "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? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

These aren't my thoughts, but I read this earlier which really got me thinking about verse 1.....

Among those who seem to know nothing of the Bible, this is the verse that seems to be most popular. Yet most the people who quote this verse don't understand what Jesus said. They seem to think (or hope) that Jesus commanded a universal acceptance of any lifestyle or teaching.

 

Just a little later in this same chapter (Matthew 7:15-16), Jesus commanded us to know ourselves and others by the fruit of their life, and some sort of assessment is necessary for that. The Christian is called to show unconditional love. But the Christian is not called to unconditional approval. We really can love people who do things that should not be approved of.

 

So while this does not prohibit examining the lives of others, it certainly prohibits doing in the spirit what is often done. An example of unjust judgment was the disciples condemnation of the woman who came to anoint the feet of Jesus with oil (Matthew 26:6-13). They thought she was wasting something; Jesus said she had done a good work that would always be remembered. They had a rash, harsh, unjust judgment.

 

- We break this command when we think the worst of others.

- We break this command when we only speak to others of their faults.

- We break this command when we judge an entire life only by its worst moments.

- We break this command when we judge the hidden motives of others.

- We break this command when we judge others without considering ourselves in their same circumstances.

- We break this command when we judge others without being mindful that we ourselves will be judged.