Luke 6:36-38
New International Version (NIV)
36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Judging Others
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
In the book I am reading now, Graham Cooke states, "In our thinking we must focus on mercy and grace or we will be mentally judging others." I think one of the most important points in loving others is seeing them through the eyes of Jesus. It's easier to do with those who are close to us and those we care for, but even then it is too easy to judge. The enemy points out the shortcomings and character defects of others to affect our ability to love them. I have noticed when I get around certain people I fall right into the gossip and judging and walk away angry at myself every time. I genuinely love people because I see us all in our own battle, and I don't know for sure why it is so easy for me to fall into judgement. I have decided to stay away from people who habitually judge until I can break that habit. I have seen a lot of improvement since I realized something about those judgemental people. They generally don't love others. They also love conditionally. Now it sounds like I am judging again, but what I am trying to do is look into a mirror to reveal my own shortcomings so I can change me. I don't want to be judged by others. In fact many times when I hear what somebody has said about me, which happens more often than I like, my first first thoughts are usually something like, "If they only knew why I ...." If you don't know all the circumstances in a persons life you can't hardly understand their decision making. It's better not to judge at all. Love only.
One judgement that drives me absolutely crazy, is when I hear somebody say, "They need to get over it." Most of the time the person talking has never been through the situation the other is dealing with or if they have, they have never truly dealt with their feelings and/or healed.
Jesus said "You without sin cast the first stone." We should be humble. We should not constantly beat ourselves up for being sinners, but we need to realize that we all sin. Pride is a big issue in growing in Christ. I have had God tell me to do things and I have had to stop immediately and pray about pride. Am I doing this because I want the recognition? Am I doing this because I want people to know God talks to me? Or am I doing this because it is God's will and I want to please Him? The closer I get to Him, the less I find myself questioning His will. I do confirm it is Him I am hearing.
As much as I have made wrong choices in my life and as many mistakes as I have had to ask forgiveness for, I find it easier all the time to surrender complete control over my life. I used to say that I wanted somebody to come in every morning and tell me what to wear, do my hair and tell me where I was going. I had made such a mess it would be easier to be led around by the nose and not have to make any decisions. Maybe this is why it is easier than I thought it would be to let God run my life. I have no idea where He is taking me or if my whole life is going to be totally changed tomorrow, but I don't care either. He knows what He is doing and I do not.
Not only is every person going through their own battle, but every person is always being taught. God is constantly teaching us to draw us closer to Him. It is up to us how willing we are to hear Him and to learn and grow. I've always said it seems like God waits until I say, "I can't stand this another minute" then He leaves me in it for another minute or two before He responds to my prayer request. It's the battles, the pain and the suffering we learn through. If God were to respond to our prayers immediately every time we prayed for deliverance, what kind of faith would we have? We would be like spoiled children expecting to be bailed out. We would probably find ourselves behaving worse all the time, because God would bail us out. He doesn't do this. It's those moments between, when we think we can't go on another second and his answers to our prayer that we learn the most, we develop a deeper faith and we move closer to Him.
You may judge a person who smokes or tells little white lies or is full of pride, but you don't know what battle they are fighting with the enemy or what lesson they are learning from God. Be a relief. Show love. Your kindness may give them the strength they need to complete the battle or the teaching. You may need the strength through kindness one day.
I have shared a link to a video representing the battle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle" - John Watson (Pen name, Ian Maclaren)
One judgement that drives me absolutely crazy, is when I hear somebody say, "They need to get over it." Most of the time the person talking has never been through the situation the other is dealing with or if they have, they have never truly dealt with their feelings and/or healed.
Jesus said "You without sin cast the first stone." We should be humble. We should not constantly beat ourselves up for being sinners, but we need to realize that we all sin. Pride is a big issue in growing in Christ. I have had God tell me to do things and I have had to stop immediately and pray about pride. Am I doing this because I want the recognition? Am I doing this because I want people to know God talks to me? Or am I doing this because it is God's will and I want to please Him? The closer I get to Him, the less I find myself questioning His will. I do confirm it is Him I am hearing.
As much as I have made wrong choices in my life and as many mistakes as I have had to ask forgiveness for, I find it easier all the time to surrender complete control over my life. I used to say that I wanted somebody to come in every morning and tell me what to wear, do my hair and tell me where I was going. I had made such a mess it would be easier to be led around by the nose and not have to make any decisions. Maybe this is why it is easier than I thought it would be to let God run my life. I have no idea where He is taking me or if my whole life is going to be totally changed tomorrow, but I don't care either. He knows what He is doing and I do not.
Not only is every person going through their own battle, but every person is always being taught. God is constantly teaching us to draw us closer to Him. It is up to us how willing we are to hear Him and to learn and grow. I've always said it seems like God waits until I say, "I can't stand this another minute" then He leaves me in it for another minute or two before He responds to my prayer request. It's the battles, the pain and the suffering we learn through. If God were to respond to our prayers immediately every time we prayed for deliverance, what kind of faith would we have? We would be like spoiled children expecting to be bailed out. We would probably find ourselves behaving worse all the time, because God would bail us out. He doesn't do this. It's those moments between, when we think we can't go on another second and his answers to our prayer that we learn the most, we develop a deeper faith and we move closer to Him.
You may judge a person who smokes or tells little white lies or is full of pride, but you don't know what battle they are fighting with the enemy or what lesson they are learning from God. Be a relief. Show love. Your kindness may give them the strength they need to complete the battle or the teaching. You may need the strength through kindness one day.
I have shared a link to a video representing the battle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle" - John Watson (Pen name, Ian Maclaren)
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