“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. ~ Matthew 7:1-5
Our biblical scripture today is likely one of the most misunderstood and improperly referenced verses of our current age. It typically is now used as a reason by countless people to not be held accountable for any of their non scriptural actions. This is confirmed and witnessed through the speaking of the words heard by so many, “Don’t judge me!” However, to see what Jesus really meant in this scripture, we must look beyond just the first few words “Do not judge” and come to the realization that Jesus is teaching us how to really live as followers of Christ and to avoid hypocrisy. He is not giving us a tool to use to protect ourselves from the accountability of the Church.
Jesus states very clearly in our current scripture that we aren’t to judge others; but what does Jesus mean here by the word judge? The judgment that Jesus is discouraging here is the harsh and extreme type - based exclusively upon our opinions and ideas and not scripture. Instead, he is teaching that we must stop and refer to scripture’s guidance for holiness and the proper path to assist those around us.
Motivation matters here. We are to avoid judging others with pride, arrogance and evil in our hearts. We are also not to judge in a way where we think we are superior. But we are to be aware and look at the actions of others. All the while comparing those same actions to what they should be according to God. This all done because of our love for our brothers and sisters.
Additionally, there is something about the way that we operate as humans that makes it far easier for us to judge others than it is to judge ourselves. Jesus is calling us out on this! Jesus is commanding us to look at ourselves and at our own sins! We must judge ourselves in order to be in the proper place to discern the actions of others! Jesus says that if we do remove the log from our own eye (confess our own sinfulness and halt the sin), then we will indeed be able to see better to help another person remove the splinter (their sin) from their eye. To be faithful followers of the Father, we should first and continually judge ourselves.
Discerning where others are at spiritually is important. Without that discernment, how will we ever help each other to attain eternity in Heaven? How will we know the lost and help them to find God? It’s very important that we use good judgement in order to help the world in which we live.
Finally, if we have been changed by Jesus, then we should live as someone who’s been changed by Him! We are not to play the role of God. God can see the heart, we cannot. We should follow Christ’s command - don’t judge others, judge ourselves and use good judgement.
God bless each of you,
Pastor Toby
