Do Not Judge

Challenge - Day 12

Start with God
Stay with God
End with God

Matthew 7:1-5
"Do not judge or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others,
you will be judged, and with the same measure you use,
it will be measured to you.
"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?
How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that speck out of your eye,'
when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank our of your own eye,
and then you will be able to see clearly to remove the speck
from your brother's eye.

Nelson's Compact Bible Commentary
1. The point of this verse is that a Christian should not have a sprit of carping criticism and fault finding.
(Carping. That is what it said. According to Oxford Dictionary carping means difficult to please or critical. I hadn't heard that one before. I lead a sheltered life. I think I like the word.)

2. Every judgement that a person makes becomes a basis for his or her own judgement.

Blue Letter Bible Commentary verses 3-5
Jesus is telling us that we are far more tolerant of our sins than we are of the sins of others.

I would wager that, if sins were being tallied somewhere, being judgmental would have the most tally marks. It is a common fault among us; one we make far too often and far too easily. Innocently and not innocently. (Wouldn't the person doing the tallying have a hard time keeping up in this election year? Funny - yes, but not really.)

Some judgments are good when we make them for ourselves or our children. Should I do this or that? Go here or there? Say this or that? That is not what is being talked about here.

The kind of judgment Jesus is talking about is sin. When we maliciously judge others. To me, this is also gossip; another kind of sin for another day.

I still like the idea Dana gave us the first day we started this challenge to carry a piece a paper with us to write our thoughts down through the day. Ask yourself is this judgmental? Is it a pure thought: A true thought? A praiseworthy thought? How would Jesus feel about this thought?

Dear Father,
Thank you for my many blessings and help me to not be judgmental, but to keep my thoughts true, pure and praiseworthy. Help me to be a blessing to others and to always do Your will. Amen.

Gratitude
1. Scripture
2. Lessons
3. Sunny fall days

Phil 1:4
In all my prayers for all of you,
I always pray with joy.

Blessings,
Deborah