Judging the Speck

It's so easy. Sooo easy to play the critic like I'm a judge on American Idol. If you're not familiar with it, American Idol is a talent show that searches for the best singers in the country. Contestants have to go through a series of vigorous auditions before they even make it to the live show. But then on the live show, they not only have 3 people judging them but now the entire country. We get to cast our votes based on what we see and eventually a winner is announced at the end of the season. 

And it's so easy. It's sooo easy to play the judge, not just for talent shows but also in real life with real relationships/people. It's easy for me to look at the surface of things in a person's life, like they are a performer on stage, and cast my remarks and critical analysis based just on what I am looking at. Problem is, I'm probably missing a lot of key information that could sway my assessment. But it doesn't matter in the moment. I stand there and cast my judgements like casting my vote for a TV show. I make my decision on the matter and decide that that is the way it is. 

While we might have opinions about things, Jesus made it very clear how he feels about judging others. He says this: 

Don't. 

Yep. Pretty much that's it. Don't."...for you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."

What he does tell us to do is stop looking so much at everyone else's faults and come to Him and let Him search our own hearts. But gosh, who really wants to do that?? It's much easier to hide behind our own criticism of others than deal with our own guilt and shame. And in fact, for some it can make them feel better about themselves when they cut someone else down for their faults. Judging, in some unhealthy way, “helps” their self-worth. (Well, so it seems.)

But there's no freedom for us when we judge others. It does nothing for us and in fact does nothing for them either. No one walks away better. 

BUT

if we let God in,

if we let Him in

and let Him shine His light,

we are in a position to be free from all the things that shame us. And then, as the scripture tells us we can go and help others... NOT JUDGE... but help. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“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. 

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬