Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged

In today’s article, I want to address something everyone is guilty of, even those who consider themselves devout Christians.  Many of us do it without realizing it, some of us do it as an occupation.  Criticizing and judging others based upon what we think we know, or outer appearances are a sin in its own regards.  There are those of you out there that will disagree with how a person has lived their lives, not having walked in their steps or having to face situations those you are judging had to make, and criticize them or judge them for those decisions made.  We do this ignoring the problems in our own lives and hypocritically lay down our judgment.

Also a failure in our own character and a sin against God’s nature is the judging of people who are trying to make positive change in their lives.  Instead of supporting those people through prayer, many of us in our hearts actually hope for them to stumble and fall, to justify our prejudices and judgments of that person, rather than see them succeed.  This is an even more egregious flaw in us, for instead of supporting a change in these people that would benefit those souls undergoing that change, as well as, benefitting others that would look at this person and gain inspiration to improve their lives as well, we would see them fall to satisfy our own internal meme.

We read in Matthew 7:1-5 (NASB) what Jesus instructed and warned us of judging others:

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 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."

The judgement we take on ourselves.

We read on verses 1 and 2, “ 1 Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”  In this Jesus tells us that when we judge others, that we take upon ourselves judgment, and it will be in the same measure for which we judged others.  Within what Jesus said is the thought of a judgment that awaits us.  Jesus made it clear that there is a future judgment awaiting each of us.  He said in verse 2, "you will be judged." Not "may" but "will."  Now it may not be a subject that you like to think about, but the simple truth of the matter is that one day, each of us will stand before God.

Hebrews 12:23, speaks of God as the "Judge of all." In 2 Timothy 4:8 the Lord is called "the righteous Judge." Hebrews 10:30 say's, "The Lord will judge His people." Romans 2:16, speaks of a "day when God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." 

There is coming a day when I will personally stand before God and give an account of my life. There is coming a day when each of you will personally stand before God and give an account of your life. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tell us that we give an account of the things done in our life good or bad. Matthew 12:36 tell us that in the Day of Judgment we will even give an account for idle words we have spoken.

Imagine what it will be like when we stand before God. In our text Jesus is telling us that there is a final court of judgment. Jesus is reminding us that one day we will face this final judgment as we stand before God who is the "righteous judge" and the "judge of all."

In our text, Jesus describes how when we judge others we are taking upon ourselves the role of judge and jury.  When Jesus spoke of the judgment that awaits us, He was reminding us that the role of Judge and judgment belongs to God and not to man. Judgment is a role reserved solely and exclusively for God.

Jesus is telling us that when we sit in judgment on others we are assuming a role that has not been given us. To judge others is to assume a role that is reserved only for God. When we ride range over the lives of others and sit in judgment on people's lives we are playing God and taking upon ourselves a role and responsibility that we have no right to assume.

The next time you find yourself judging someone else; remember you are assuming a role that is not yours.  Judgment belongs to God and God alone.  It is not my place, nor your place, to be judge and jury of someone's life.  God has not appointed a single one of us to sit on the bench and pass judgment on others.  God has not issued black robes for any of us.  Judgment is God's role, a role we must not assume. 

Criticizing failures in others.

In verses 3-4 Jesus said, “3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?”   Jesus is speaking here of someone finding a fault or failure in another based on his or her own standards and opinions and then sitting in judgment on that person. He is talking about judging and criticizing things in the lives of others.

The word "notice" carries the idea of "staring at." It speaks of someone looking for something to criticize in another person. This person has found, in the words of Jesus a "speck" in another's eye (something in that persons’ life they don't like, disagree with, etc.) and in a self-righteous attitude they criticize and even attack the person for what they think is wrong. Verse 4 suggests that they even go as far as to confront that person telling them what is wrong and what they need to get right.

Now, the simple and plain honest truth is we can always find something wrong in a person if we look for it. It may surprise one or two of you, but there are no perfect people. 

I want you to listen carefully to something T. DeWitt Talmadge once said:

"I lay this down as a rule without exception, that those people who have the most faults themselves are the most merciless in their watching of others. From the scalp of head to soles of foot, they are full of jealousies and hypercriticisms. They spent their life hunting for muskrats and mud turtles instead of hunting for Rocky Mountain creatures and soaring eagles. They are always looking for something mean instead of something grand."

I say a big "Amen" to what Talmadge said. I have found that those who judge and criticize the most are the ones that have the most to be criticized. They run around talking about others, putting others down for specks when they have logs in their own life.

What we must do to correct ourselves

Jesus said in verse 5, "5 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 speaks to what we should take for ourselves.  Instead of sitting in judgment on people, we should take certain personal steps.

Jesus said that the "first" thing we must do is remove the log from our own eye.  In other words, deal with our own faults and failures first. There is not a one of us without faults and failures; therefore we all have our own faults and failures to be concerned about.

Take special note of the word "first." It is a word that speaks of that which is first in place, time, and importance. In other words, the priority of our lives ought to be removing the things from our life that is not right. Before we get on someone else's case, we need to clean up our own life.

Notice the words in verse 5, " and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." Jesus was speaking of helping others to deal with their failures. When we have dealt with our own failures, then we are able to see things clearly and help others with their failures.

Jesus is not ignoring the fact that there are faults and failures in others. After all there is s speck in their eye. What He is saying is that when our heart is right we will view the faults and failures of others in a different light. It is only when we see ourselves as we really are that we are able to clearly see others.

Instead of having a judgmental and critical spirit we will have an attitude that says, “but for the grace of God there go I.” The motive will be to help others rather than hurt them.

Confucius said, "The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention of their defects. The small man does just the reverse of this."

Let me ask if you are a gentleman or a small man. Really I should ask if you are judging others or judging yourself. That is what makes the difference between a gentleman and a small man.

In closing, let us take stock of our own words and deeds, and hold back those criticisms and judgments that seem to come readily when we walk within this world.  There is enough happening in this world to tear down the individuals that cross our path, as well as, our own selves.  Let us not add to that, and be good Christian brothers and sisters to each other and lift each up in prayer and support when they try to make changes in their lives.