Every week I treat myself to a Light Carmel Frappuccino along with a Reduced Fat Cinnamon Swril Coffee Cake from Starbucks. This week wasn't any different. Same day, same time, same location, same barista, same great attitude knowing I was gonna make that day grand. With a smile on my face I ordered my treat and started to walk towards a table when a "gentleman" who I've seen at church, smirked and said "If I were you, I'd lay off of the Starbucks, Shamu." Uhhhh, excuse me? Did I hear you right? And you call yourself....a Christian?
After scarfing down a Big Mac, looking at myself in the mirror crying, and a phone call to one of my close girlfriends, I found myself Googling devotions. I came across this devotion that I would like to share.
Devotional: ‘Judging Others’
Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-15)
It’s a rare person who is not guilty of judging other people. For some reason we feel that is our duty to evaluate and critique everyone else. Yet scripture repeatedly warns us of the danger of being judgmental. Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. (Mt. 7:1-2) James also warns us about being judgmental and gives us 3 dangers that are associated with it.
Danger #1 – The Danger of Becoming Slanderous
“Don’t speak evil against each other…” To speak evil of another means to speak against them. It is to slander their character. It’s the same word that Paul uses in Romans 1:30 when he refers to those who are “backbitiers.” Someone has called it – “destructive verbal attacks.” It’s saying something about another person that is going to make them look bad. “But what if it’s the truth?”, someone might ask. Peter tells us that “love covers a multitude of sins.” If we are walking in the Spirit, we are not going to want to damage another person’s character, even if it is the truth. If we love them, we are going to want to protect them and somehow help them rather than destroy them.
Danger #2 – The Danger of Becoming Lawless
“If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge.” At first we might think that James is referring to the Law of Moses or the Ten Commandments. If the law James is speaking of is the Ten Commandments, then it would seem that we have all the more ammunition to use to judge other people. But in his letter, James refers to another law; the royal law. Consider James 2:8 “Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The royal law, or as some refer to it, ”the law of Christ”, is to love others as we love ourselves. The New Testament teaches us two very important things about the law of Christ:
- It is full of grace -
“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:1-2)
- It is actually the fulfillment of the Law of Moses -
“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-40)Even the Law of Moses is not a list of ‘do’s and don’ts’ that will make us perfect. Rather it is a standard of conduct for those who love God supremely and their neighbor as themselves.
Danger #3 – There is the Danger of Becoming Merciless
“So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” (Jas 2:12-13)Jesus said,
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” (Mt 5:3-9)Being judgmental is a temptation that we all must resist. It is too easy to fall into the trap of slandering other people and being critical of everything they do. Not only does a judgmental attitude destroy other people, it destroys us. I have never met a judgmental person who appeared to be happy.
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