Judging others is a slippery slope isn’t it? It is easy to see in others things we condemn, but we do them ourselves! I was reminded of this truth when I read through Matthew 7 today. Notice how these Jesus addresses this issue in verses 1-5,

“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. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Jesus informs us that God will judge us by the standard we judge others. Why would he do that? Because he knows, in reality, we cannot meet the expectations we place on others. We would be far better to examine ourselves and address our imperfections than condemn others for theirs.

It is also interesting to note that Jesus says those who judge others are in reality “hypocrites.” The sense of the word is summarized well by Logos when they define the word as “a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.”

When I judge others, I am a hypocrite since I give the impression that the areas in which I condemn others are not faults of mine, but the are. Ouch!

Father, I thank you that your Word still can pierce to the soul and reveal flaws in my nature. Thank you for the reminder of my tendency to find fault with others that are faults in me. I need not worry about others. I need to worry about myself and seek your help to change me. Thank you for your patient leadership in my life!

Following Jesus with you,

Jeff