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Judging Others
Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5
1 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 measure 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 you 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.
Study Lesson
These words of Jesus are quite common to a lot of people. Verse one is pretty straight forward and blunt "Do not judge or you too will be judged." This is pretty simple to understand, but at times very hard to keep. Everyone has judged someone in their life at one time or the other. It may be just the way they look or maybe the way they speak. It doesn't mater what form of judging it is, the Bible states that how we judge someone is the same manor that we will be judged. A person may argue that in verse five Jesus says that it is okay to judge as long as you have dealt with your own problems first. This is what Jesus is saying for there are times when judgment it needed. Jesus intended for the judgment to be helpful and beneficial, but not negative or hurtful. The judgement is to help the person become stronger and to grow. Jesus is stating that a person is unfit to help someone in this way if they are not living the life that they should.
Reflection
1. Do I judge people in a way that is hurtful?
2. Do I have anything in my life that needs to be taken care of so I can help others grow?
Thought
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20