The standard we use to judge others will be used on us, so we should be gentle.
“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.”Matthew 7:1-2 (KJV)
What does “Judging” mean in Matthew 7:1-2?
Jesus warns against a harsh, condemning attitude toward others. He says the measure we give will be the measure we receive.
Going deeper
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. Jesus is not saying that we should never use discernment or say that anything is wrong. In the same chapter He tells us to beware of false prophets. He is warning against a critical spirit that looks for faults and assumes the worst.
He goes on to describe a person with a plank in his own eye trying to remove a speck from another's. It is a humorous and humbling picture. Before we point out someone else's faults, we should look at our own. Consider where you have been quick to criticize this week. Ask God to soften your heart and to show you your own blind spots. Then look for something to appreciate in that person. Mercy, offered freely, tends to come back.
Reflect
Where have you been quick to criticize, and how could you show mercy instead?
Pray
Lord, forgive me for judging others harshly. Help me to see my own faults first, and to treat others with mercy. In Jesus' name, amen.
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