April 3, 2021

JUDGING OTHERS

(c) 2012 Anna Hazen

With all the different colors, creeds, and types of people in the world, comes much prejudice and bigotry and worse, hatred. This is what I call an unfortunate personality glitch; and something that God is very much against. How can people, who claim to love God, and call themselves “Christian” still hold onto this characteristic? When we hold prejudice and bigotry and hatred in our hearts against others, we are not only judging them, but are in absolute disobedience to God! For if we truly love HIM, then how can we not love those He created, made and formed? His Word says that HE is the ONLY TRUE Judge, above those He has set in office ~ and those are just to judge against those who disobeyed God’s law; not because of their race or heritage.

All throughout history, and in these days and in this age, there has been and is so much of this going on because of greed, jealousy or “religious” differences – and yes, especially “politics”. Personally, it makes me sick and ashamed to be called a member of the human race… I’m going to put it bluntly and in today’s language… and generally speaking… Stereotypes are thus: whites are prejudice against everyone not of their “standard”; “blacks” against whites; Muslims against Jews; Muslims against everyone who isn’t; Jews against Gentiles. And the list goes on… and on… and on. Frankly, this world is full of nothing but hatred. Just how the devil likes it!!! But GOD is above that old snake. It’s what HE says that is more important!

Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again

If you have prejudice against someone simply because of their color or whatever, you can know that someone else has the same exact feelings about you. How does that make YOU feel? The same way you think and treat others, is the way others will think about and treat you. As the sayings go, “What goes around, comes around”, and “when you point your finger at someone, look at your hand…. you’ve actually got 3 fingers pointing back at yourself!

Jesus gave us rules we should live by:

Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

:29 And unto him that smites thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that takes away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

:30 Give to every man that asks of thee; and of him that takes away thy goods ask them not again.

:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

:33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

:34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven

:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

In other words, don’t condemn a person because of the way they look, i.e. color of their skin, the clothes they choose to wear, how they wear their hair, or if they have “buck teeth” or no teeth at all, have long luxurious hair or are bald, etc., but judge them by their hearts; whether good or evil. And then, pray for them.

Too many people are stereotyped against because of their skin color, or the clothes they wear. “Blacks” are too often accused of crimes, even if they didn’t commit them. “Jews” are too often accused of greed. Arabs, even those who are not, are too often accused of being “Muslim terrorists”. These are mostly said by “white” people, who think they “own the world”, with “nobody is better than me” attitudes. It makes me ashamed to be called a member of that race!

John 7:51 Nicodemus said, Does our law judge any man, before it hears him, and know what he does?

In other words, we are NOT supposed to judge anyone, unless there are two or more truthful, honest witnesses and before they are heard in a court of law regarding a crime they may have committed..

Jesus tells us to make sure of our own righteousness before we judge others. Following is just one example.

John 8:3-6 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what say you? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

John 8:7-8 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Verse 7 speaks very clearly: Check yourself, before condemning others! If you have no sin in you (highly unlikely), then feel free to cut other’s down for theirs. But we ALL know we have sinned – don’t try to deny it… We ALL have done or said something against another.

Rom 3:23 For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Don’t dare to say you haven’t! We were all born into it!

What all this is coming down to is this: As Jesus said, do, think and say to others what you would want them to do, think and say to you. THIS is what God wants from us!

AMEN and AMEN!

Please take time to read Of A Clique and Forgiveness Equals Forgiveness.

I hope this has been a blessing and a help to you.

Keep your wicks trimmed and your lambs filled! The King is coming soon!