Most of the time it’s fairly easy to judge between good and evil and between right and wrong. The Bible gives us some clear direction in this regard. As followers of Jesus, our goal is to remain in the light and stay away from the darkness of this world. This kind of judgment is an important part of our lives. But there’s another kind of judgment that is much more problematic. Judgment that relies on assigning motives to someone else’s actions is the kind of judgment Jesus warns against.
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1 (NASB)
Frequently people assign false motives to the behavior of others simply to distract from their own glaring misdeeds. Jesus illustrated this point with a somewhat humorous parable.
“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?” Matthew 7:3 (NASB)
All too often, those who complain the most about the behavior of others are guilty themselves of a much larger version of the same offense. For some reason, there are those who want to distract from their own misdeeds by calling attention to those behaviors in others. Jesus teaches that we are to avoid assigning motives to the behavior of others, thereby protecting ourselves from his judgment.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.” Luke 6:37 (NASB)
Jesus taught that we are far better off offering understanding and assistance rather than judgment. It should be no surprise that Jesus teaches us to focus on positive reactions to others.
“Pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:37-38 (NASB)
Jesus punctuated his teaching on this topic by warning that there are some who are so far gone there is no amount of godly instruction that will bring them back to the light. His message was to simply walk away from those who are unwilling to listen to truth.
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:6 (NASB)
Jesus had the Pharisees in mind during most of this teaching. The Pharisees were notorious for allowing their own self-interest to cloud the true desires of God. Jesus teaches us that there are no set of rules and regulations that can provide you with righteousness. Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ can wash away your sins and render you acceptable to God. Praise God for sending His Son!
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