I wrote on this subject last week. The more I think about the subject of "judgment" and on humans being judgmental, the more I recognize it is considerably complex, and I don't wish to do it a disservice. Still, I know I have a lot to learn and this will not exhaust the topic.
There is an element to "being judgmental" that I didn't mention the other day but of which I have long been aware. It is probably what is meant most often when people complain about others being judgmental, and I agree it is troubling. It is rather hard to put my finger on, exactly, but I will try.
Perhaps one way to explain what I'm thinking is to use the analogy of a courtroom. The jury weighs the evidence and they are supposed to decide whether the defendent is guilty or not of the charges brought against him based on the evidence. However, they do NOT pronounce what the punishment should be, that is the job of the judge, if I understand correctly. I think what becomes offensive to people is this stepping over the line of simply disagreeing in our minds and hearts with someone's actions or beliefs, according to our moral standards, to standing in the place of the "executioner" and either proclaiming condemnation on a certain belief or action, or doing/not doing/saying/not saying something to make the person feel condemned (or at least foolish in petty matters). We are not to "sentence" our fellow man to condemnation, for one simple reason: only God knows a man's heart and He alones retains the authority to render judgment on a soul. That is heady stuff that pierces my soul whenever I consider it. I cannot fully know another's heart. I am not their Judge. It is that misplaced condemning element that I think is most offensive and what people are referring to when they claim someone is being judgmental. I don't like to see it in others, and I don't like to see it in myself. But where do we go from here? Too many people in this generation feel it is inappropriate for anyone to form any decisive opinions about "right" and "wrong" behavior (even though they themselves do it in ways they are not conscious of!), and that was one of the reasons for my original post on March 21st.
I am struggling with this concept more these days because I hear many people talking about the details of their lives and in many instances I can clearly see where they are courting folly. For instance, in making house-buying decisions, I can see that to put nearly zero money down, take out a large mortgage ($100,000+) and not have any savings either is simply unwise. The buyers are putting themselves in a precarious place. Especially during what is an obvious housing crisis, it angers me that so many people have done this as it affects more than just themselves (and I hold the greedy and/or careless lenders just as responsible). Is this behavior immoral? I don't know, and cases do vary of course (I realize that not all of the current housing troubles are due to the above scenario). But in most cases to act such is reckless, especially where dependents are involved. Then there are the women who actively attempt to have a baby with their boyfriends who are only partially committed, yet they adamantly claim they do not want to be a single mom. If no one is to judge these situations, then what? I don't believe there is no right and wrong here. I believe very much there is wise behavior and there is foolish behavior. And sometimes foolish behavior leads to trouble for more than just the parties involved. So what should my response be? To these people I want to offer unsolicited advice, to steer them to a safer course, but to do so is to risk being "judgmental," both in their eyes and in God's. And then there is the question of whether my voicing my opinions would change anything anyway. We all know people rarely appreciate or heed even solicited advice that stands in the way of something they REALLY want let alone unsolicited advice. These societal issues get me to feeling restless since we all must share and steward this society together. We rise and fall together to some degree.
One passage of scripture that I did not quote the other day but is probably one of the better known is the one that follows. Jesus is giving his famous "Sermon on the Mount"--he is just beginning his ministry and teaching ordinary folks about God's kingdom and how it is to reside within them. One warning he gives is this one on judging others:
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5
I really believe most people hear "do not judge others" and stop there. They do not see what is really going on here nor do they comprehend this matter within the whole context of the New Testament, which clearly instructs Christians to "test everything" to discern good from evil and to "resist the evil person." Let's look at Jesus' words closely:
One part of the warning involves finding something small that another person has done or believed wrongly--(a "speck" in their eye)--while at the same time failing to do anything about the large something wrong ("plank") in your own life. He goes on to say, "first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." This is interesting! We can be made to see clearly. We do not have to stay "blind," that is, without moral knowledge. Jesus elsewhere proclaims he has come to give sight to the blind (spiritually and physically blind) and considers it folly for the "blind to lead the blind"--for those who are spiritually blind to instruct others.
He desires us to see clearly. And from there, we are able to "remove the speck" from our brother's eye. He does NOT say, You should ignore your brother's problem/sin. And we know from reading elsewhere in the New Testament that believers are urged to humbly attempt to turn a sinning brother to repentance. What is another key word here? Brother. I am not sure, but since Jesus intentionally directed the whole of his three-year ministry to the Jews and not to others (he knew God's redemptive message was to be for the whole world but that that greater ministry would occur after his death), I think it is safe to believe that He is speaking to a mostly Jewish crowd. The Jews had a culture deliberately kept separate from the rest of the people groups around them, and separate from the Roman Empire even though they lived within the Empire. Culturally, they were brothers to one another. And the same was true for the first believers that made up the early church. It is true for us believers today. I think that is important context to keep in mind when analyzing His words.
I think that context gives a person like myself some parameters to work with when it comes to judging others. First, I must be clean before God through repentance of MY sins (repentance means turning away from), and seeing clearly. Second, I have received jurisdiction to speak to a fellow believer about their sin, but not necessarily to non-believers. To do the latter requires, I believe, a direct, unmistakeable prompting from God. He has "appointed some to be prophets" to condemn what is evil or false and to praise and encourage what is righteous and true, for any and all to hear. Any believer must be careful not to step into such a role without God's prompting, lest he be a "false prophet," which is greatly offensive to God. There is much to deter us from proclaiming judgment hastily and unworthily. Lord help us.
The other side of this coin called Judgment is "Mercy," one of my favorite topics. I look forward to exploring that at a future date.
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