FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART
OP / ED BY DR. ROBERT KENNEDY
Have you ever been assigned an impossible task or asked to do something outside your strength? If you think about it, such an assignment or request is presented in the statement, “Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 13:5)
It is of interest because there seems to be no rational person in this world who does not make a judgment on others. In one way or another, we all evaluate and assess others. And we assign grades to them just like teachers do when they set exams for their students. Of course, some teachers go beyond their professional evaluations to assign grades based on students’ social status, appearance, and gossip that they might have heard. I do not want to isolate teachers because most of us do not behave like the kind of unprofessional teachers I describe, who make prejudicial judgments, and who assign grades that are used to place people in hell.
Yes, the kind of judgment I speak of in the immediate above focuses on condemning someone, levying punishment on them, drawing negative conclusions, or forming negative opinions about them. Such judgment might be based on ignorance and superficial knowledge about people. The one who judges negatively often does not care so long as the one being judged is belittled and destroyed. Such judgment is dangerous and will receive the due response from God.
Such kind of judging prompted the apostle Paul to tell the Roman church members to “stop passing judgment on one another.” He meant that using false judgment to hurt one another is a challenge to any concord and peace. Jesus advised us in the same manner when he said:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged; with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 NIV)
The command of Jesus, not to judge, is clear. I emphasize the first statement in the command thus:
Do not avenge
Do not condemn
Do not levy unwarranted punishment
Do not pass false sentence on anyone
Do not come to false and harsh conclusions about anyone
Why should humans be careful about the kind of judgment we often render? Because often enough, we project on others who we indeed are. We hate something in ourselves and attribute it to others. This we are warned is dangerous, because only God can judge accurately. Only God knows the heart and character of a person. As humans, we “look at the external,” but “God looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Only God can read the mind and motives; we read actions. Only God knows the true person of individuals; we focus on reputation. God’s judgment is grace-based. Our judgment is performance-based.
In effect, we are often tempted to play God, but we must resist the temptation and admit our lack of wisdom that corresponds to that of the divine.
Let me ask, what does it take to hold back on our penchant for negatively judging others? Let me offer the following twelve suggestions for your consideration:
- Be humble: We need to understand our propensity to judge falsely
- Respect for others: If we esteem others, we will refrain from ascribing false judgments upon them
- Learn to be cautious: Be careful of jumping to the conclusion
- Understand that if we judge falsely, we will be judged in like manner by God
- Consider our weaknesses: Reflect on the fact that we are often guilty of some things we judge in others.
- Being careful of hypocrisy – Take a moment to remind yourself that a critic (kritis) draws conclusions on the character or actions of others without complete information.
- We need to tend to our own situations first before we judge others.
- We must remember that, ultimately, judgment will be done in God’s time.
- When we judge people, we often do not leave room for alternative possibilities about them.
- Understand that how we judge may provide clues to how we deal with our fear-based insecurities.
- Mother Teresa said, “If you judge people, you don’t have time to love them.”
- We need to pray for hearts of compassion as we approach those who enter our spheres of life.
Yes, because we have allowed pride, anger, jealousy, and many other sins to cloud our judgment, we cause or allow all kinds of misdeeds against others. We need to pray like David in Psalm 51:1, 2 (NKJV):
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
