Am I a Judgy Person? (Matthew 7 and Luke 6:37-49)
Do you judge others without realizing it? Jesus calls us to humility, teaching that the way we treat others reveals the foundation we build on.
Matthew 7; Luke 6:37-49
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
Do you naturally judge others?
When you walk into a room of people, do you constantly evaluate and scrutinize? Does your mind gravitate toward the “negative” ways people dress, act, or speak? In this final chapter of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus starts with a challenge in verses 1-2: 1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.”
This Greek word krino, translated judge, can mean judge as in a judicial process, condemn, or discern.[1] However, in this context, it’s likely a guard against being judgy. Scot McKnight says it’s most likely that this verse is “not a prohibition of rendering judgment or discernment about good and bad. Perhaps we can simplify it to this: we are to conclude ‘that is wrong’ and ‘that is good,’ but we must not pronounce ‘you are condemned by God.’”[2] In other words, to be judgy is to assume a role only God was meant to perform.
When we judge others and assume the role of God, we immediately become the things we hate. We become hypocrites and play actors. This kind of thinking is incompatible with kingdom living and brings us to another famous statement of Jesus in Matthew 7:12: “Whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
As R.T. France points out, “The common description of this saying as the ‘Golden Rule’ is traditionally traced to the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus (AD 222–235) who though not a Christian was reputedly so impressed by the comprehensiveness of this maxim of Jesus as a guide to good living that he had it inscribed in gold on the wall of his chamber.”[3] And as D.A. Carson writes, “About AD 20, Rabbi Hillel, challenged by a Gentile to summarize the law in the short time the Gentile could stand on one leg, reportedly responded, ‘What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else. This is the whole law; all the rest is commentary. Go and learn it’ (b. Šabb. 31a).”[4]
Thus, Jesus isn’t introducing a revolutionary new concept but is appealing to a basic sense of decency. While some have used this verse to overstate love for self, the real emphasis here is to live in ways that are consistent with how you want to be treated. If you don’t want others to fudge the truth, don’t fudge the truth. If you want others to be kind to you, be kind to them. McKnight says, “The Golden Rule sums up the whole ethic of Jesus: our calling as followers of Jesus, from morning to night, is to monitor our behaviors toward others in accordance with our own self-care. Jesus is not hereby encouraging selfishness but instead selflessness.”[5]
A Meditation to PRAY
Praise | Lord, I praise you for your wisdom and guidance, which challenge me to live in a way that reflects your kingdom. I thank you for Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which call me to a higher standard of love and humility. Your words inspire me to treat others with the same kindness and respect I desire for myself.
Release | I release my tendency to judge others harshly and assume a role only you are meant to perform. I let go of the critical thoughts that often cloud my mind and create barriers between me and others. Help me to see people through your eyes, with compassion and understanding rather than judgment and condemnation.
Ask | I ask for a heart that embodies the Golden Rule, striving to do for others what I would want them to do for me. Guide me to live selflessly, consistently reflecting your love in my actions and words. Teach me to build my life on the solid foundation of your teachings, embracing the values of your kingdom in every aspect of my life.
Yield | I yield my judgments and prejudices, choosing instead to follow the path of humility and grace that Jesus has laid out. I submit to your will, allowing your words to shape my thoughts and actions. May my life reflect your love as I seek to live out the principles of the Sermon on the Mount in all that I do.
