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It's often easier to judge people than it is to
encourage them. To judge just takes a few words easily spoken
to someone's face or maybe in the circles of gossip, but to encourage
actually takes work, love, and compassion over a sustained period
of time. We often forget how much damage can be done by those
who hastily judge others regarding their spiritual well-being.
Not all Christians are on the same level of spiritual maturity
or strength, and judging those who are still struggling with
growth or personal problems will only hold them back in their
spiritual journey. We are all not the "spiritual giants"
that those people who typically judge "think" they
are. This is why the Bible warns us about the sin of judging
others. Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with
the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matt.
7:1-2). Now remember, there are times we are required to judge
people (e.g., false teachers, those living in open sin, the rebellious),
but that is a study for another time. The judging condemned
by the Bible is speaking of those who do so hypocritically, self-righteously,
or out of spite. Many fail to realize what is at the root of those who judge others, and that would be a lack of true Biblical love. All Christians are part of the Body of Christ, and that includes the weak ones and those who struggle with sin and personal struggles. Our love for one another in Christ should push us to do whatever we can to help and encourage those who struggle instead of engaging in behavior like judging which will only harm the weak Christian and condemn those involved in the judging. Let's consider a few points we should remember before we give in to the temptation to judge our brothers and sisters in Christ. 1. We have all sinned, and are all in need of God's grace and mercy. The apostle Paul said, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-24). Before we judge others, we should always remember that we have all sinned. It's not our perfection that saves us. It is the perfection of Jesus Christ (Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21). Christ died for us because we could not live perfect lives. Those who judge others for their lack of perfection are showing their lack of perfection by doing so. 2. Before we judge others, we should remember that we do not always know the whole situation. Only God knows what each of us goes through. Only the individual Christian and God understand the struggles that that individual Christian deals with. When we judge others without knowing the whole situation, or "wearing that Christian's shoes" so to speak, we are playing God and doing His job for Him. 3. When we judge others, we are doing the opposite of what God wants us to do for one another. God will judge everyone. He does not need us to do that for Him. Instead, he commands us to encourage and build one another up. Paul exhorted the Galatians to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). We should be busy loving one another (John 13:34-35), encouraging one another (Rom. 12:9-13), and praying for one another. When we dedicate our time to doing what God wants us to do for each other, we will find that we really don't have time to waste with judging. -Ed |