“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. 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 all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7: 1-5 NIV

Do not judge…Jesus’ words are potent and relevant in every age.

If 2020 has shown us one thing, it has exposed our predisposition to judge others while dismissing ourselves. Do you think I’m mistaken?

Can you honestly say you haven’t made an assumption about someone this year on the basis of their:

• skin color or appearance?
• religious association or lack thereof?
• political alliance?
• preferred source of news?
• adherence to mask wearing and social distancing guidelines?

Apparently, this is not something unique to our generation. As I consider Biblical history, I realize we’ve always passed judgement on others in an attempt to justify ourselves. Consider Adam’s words in the Garden of Eden, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Genesis 3:12 NIV

But is all judgement wrong? Doesn’t God want us to be discerning?

I’ll let your sort through these questions.

These words have made me consider whether I judge others harshly or with mercy. Jesus challenges me to examine my own motivation when I’m tempted to judge others. My judgement is tempered by the knowledge I will be held to the same measurement.

Only the One who fully knows the heart can judge the heart—Jesus is that One.