STOP IT

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.    For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5 KJV

If we will listen with our heart, we might hear God saying to us “Stop it” because there are times when we judge others.  We read in the Bible.  “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

It’s a lot easier to point the finger of guilt at others than it is to point it at ourselves, isn’t it?  Jesus doesn’t condemn us so we shouldn’t condemn each other.  “She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11). 

May God help us to love one another unconditionally and pray for one another instead of judging and pointing the finger of guilt at someone.  One of my pastors said in a sermon “If we will keep our heart in right standing with God, we won’t have the time to judge others.  Let’s start loving instead of judging.

Joanne Lowe

October 23, 2018