You don’t know my heart . . .
I don’t know yours.
You don’t know my intentions . . .
I don’t know yours.
You don’t know the path God’s walking with me . . .
I don’t know yours.
You don’t know the “where I’ve been” . . .
I don’t know yours.
So why—in heaven and glory’s name—are we so quick to judge one another? Why do I think I can thoroughly assess your failings and sins? Why do you try to nail me to mine?
“If you think you can judge others, you are wrong. When you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty, because you do the same things they do.” Romans 2:1 (NCV)
Your critical spirit calls me condemning.
I critically judge you as being a condemner.
“Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?”
James 4:11, 12
This is not about coming alongside to pray over areas of struggle.
This is not about noticing an obvious lack of fruit in another’s life.
This is not about “speaking the truth in love”.
(and as a side-note,
we're not always too good with lovingly presenting—
neither are we too gracious in humbly receiving)
“Do not speak against one another.”
This is about holding our tongue while examining our heart!
Do I need to say anything? Really?
Do I really need to comment at all to them or to others?
Do I see uglies in another while blinded to my own?
What AM I “to do”?
I am “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [my] God.” (Micah 6:8).
I am “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [my] God.” (Micah 6:8).
THAT is a big enough, full-time, all-encompassing task!
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy.”
The One who established righteousness
is the One who has the right to hold us to it!
We cannot save or destroy. But in our arrogance we think our judgment ascertains the situation so completely that we believe we could save them, had we the opportunity. We seek to boost self whilst belittling. In some ways, we can destroy—possibly a reputation and most assuredly we taint our own as being “without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.” (Romans 1:31)
Who am I to judge my neighbor?
No one! I’m just a sinner myself!
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Click here for the other posts from my study of the book of James
I am joining The Good Morning Girls as we study James together.
I am joining The Good Morning Girls as we study James together.
