February 29, 2024
Jesus Teaches About Judging Others
Matthew 7: 1-6
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “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? 4 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? 5 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.
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
REFLECTION:
Jesus instructed us not to be hypocritical for a reason. We learned that hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense. Jesus instruction; not to give sacred teachings to people who cannot appreciate them will save us from unnecessary trouble. Therefore, we come to understand that discernment (the ability to choose between what is true and right and what is false and wrong,) is necessary in some situations.
APPLICATION:
Examine why I am judging. Is it Discernment verses Judgement? Why am I finding fault? Self-introspection, is an excellent tool for recognizing if we’re coming from judgment or discernment. Look at what you FEEL. If you feel heavy, distraught, angry – you may be approaching it with judgment. However, if you feel light (even if it’s a hard situation), curious, compassionate – you’re likely approaching it from discernment. And if you are creating a story around the situation, in which you are ‘right’ and the other is ‘wrong,’ you know you’re in judgment. If my motives are pure, I can help my brother or sister. If my motives are not pure, then I need to seek God’s face.
PRAYER:
Lord help me to bring my judgements to you so that you can help me to remove my planks, if they exist so that I can help others remove their specks in love and sincerity.