Thursday, November 12, 2009
Judge Not?
(Matthew 7:1-5)
There is perhaps no more frequently abused Scripture in all of the New Testament than the passage under consideration in today’s Scripture reading. Heeding neither the context nor Jesus’ actual words, self-appointed guardians of tolerance and political correctness are fond of interjecting the words “judge not” into any debate they can’t win. Understood within the context of His message, Jesus’ words actually provide a standard by which to judge righteously.
Taken in context, Jesus’ admonition “judge not” actually provides a framework for making proper judgment calls. For example, His caution certainly indicates that it is foolish to rush to judgment. Some folks are eager to pass judgment on others, unrestrainedly declaring their condemnation of another’s appearance or actions. “Judge not” cautions us to restrain our speech, examining the situation more carefully. Just as we would want others to carefully weigh all the evidence if we were on trial, so should we carefully consider all circumstances before passing judgment.
When it becomes necessary to pass judgment—to make a decision based upon ethical principles—we must be careful to apply a consistent standard. The consistent application of a set standard—not the act of passing judgments—is the real issue. Jesus is really condemning “nit-pickers,” those who criticize every little thing about someone else but studiously ignore their own glaring faults. In other words, judgment (like charity) should begin at home. And, once I’ve cleaned up my own back yard, Jesus said I should help clean up my neighbor’s (5).
