3:267 – Judging and Forgiving

#faithbites #faithjourney judging

Setting

Have you ever judged someone? I think the answer to that is yes. We all make small and large judgements all the time. Some don’t amount to much but those can wreck lives. The problem with judging us we really have all the facts in the situation. To say someone is bad because of one belief or good because of another is problematic at best.

We are more than the sum of our parts. One bad thing doesn’t ruin us. Something to think about is what benefit does judging have? Does it change the situation? Does it make you a better person? What of we offered forgiveness even more than we judged?

Scripture

• Luke 6:37 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Reflection

When we hear this verse, we often stop at judge not least ye be judged. The verse contains more than that. Do not condemn someone and you won’t be consumed. Forgive and they will be forgiven.

We need to stop trying to judge everyone: period. Beyond that, we need to look beyond condemning and to forgiving. This goes back to not trying to win at all costs.

Let’s focus not on the judging but on the forgiving. You have the power to forgive as Christ forgave you.

I’m far from perfect and judge often. I am trying to move beyond it and focus on forgiveness, grace, and understanding.

Are you ready?

Challenge

Are you judging others? If you are, what are you getting out of it? God hasn’t given us the task of judging. He gave us the task of loving and forgiving. Let’s love and forgive.

Prayer

Lord, forgive us. We see and we judge them we bristle when others judge us. Help us to focus on forgiveness of each other and not how they are living or the choices they make.

We need to live in Grace and love, help us to do just that. In your name, Amen.