JOHN SHIRK – From Matthew 7, verses 1 and 2.

These are the words of Jesus, “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.”

Sometimes, this verse is misused to suggest that we should not discern behavior and character. Jesus wants us to use discernment in what we see and what we choose to embrace or reject. If we were not to use judgment in these areas, He would not have said, “Watch out for false prophets.” But He did, and He told us we could recognize them by their fruit.

What Jesus is addressing here is self-righteous evaluation, where we inspect the faults of others without choosing to see our own faults.   Another dangerous kind of judgment is to write someone off as hopeless. God has converted many people who would have been considered lost causes. A third dangerous kind of judgment is judging someone’s motives for their actions. We do not know the heart of others as God does.

If we know someone who is living as though there is no God, we can keep praying for them, keep the door open for them to change their mind about God, and keep treating them as though God does exist and cares about their soul and eternal destiny.

Love and humility are vital signs of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.