Watch Your Measure

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1 ESV

One of the concerns I witness in many Christian circles is this movement of so-called Christians who look down their pharisaical noses, judging anyone who doesn’t believe as they do. Instead of being a light for Christ, they disparage and condemn anyone and anything that opposes their beliefs.

Jesus reproached the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees for such self-righteous behavior. The thing is, those who are in the world don’t possess that same filter as we have in the Word of God. They don’t see anything wrong with their actions because they are governed by their natural inclinations. What is wrong with getting rid of an unwanted embryo if it is merely a mass of molecules (I am using their non-filtered reasoning here)? What could be wrong with a change in gender if you’re not content as a woman or a man? Nothing. Absolutely nothing (again, I am arguing their case using their unfiltered reasoning). As a result, ‘Christians’ come across as judgmental and disparaging. Gone is any chance to be a witness for Jesus.

As followers of Christ, you and I are called to take a good, hard look at our own behavior – we who do have a filter – lest we be judged. Then, we are called to share the love of God and extend grace to those who don’t have the Word of God. You and I have not been called to judge those who are in the world and of the world, but to love others to Christ and let His Spirit do the convicting (obviously, the caveat here is outside of the church – within the church, this is a matter for the elders and deacons as they are led)

Prayer: Lord, prevent me from judging those you’ve called me to love. Use me to share your love and grace with those around me, and leave the convicting to you. Amen.

Thought: “Self-righteousness is being more concerned for, and motivated by, the knowledge of the sin of others than your own . . .  Self-righteousness means you don’t see yourself or the other person with accuracy . . . Only (this) grace, as it comes to us in the insight-giving and conviction ministry of the Holy Spirit, can help us to see ourselves with accuracy and others with clarity. You see, it takes grace for you to realize how much you still need grace.” Paul Tripp