Here Comes the Judge

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” – Matthew 7:2
In this society we are all fixated on a live and let live mentality.  If another person’s actions do not directly impact me, no harm.  This feeling of tolerance has engrained in our thinking that we are not to challenge someone on their actions.  The word teaches us not to judge others, for we will also be judged (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; Romans 14:10), but it is important that we look below the words on the page and understand the meaning in the usage of the words.

The word judge is one of those words that has so many definitions it can be confusing to the context by which it is used.  There are at least 15 different definitions for the single word judge.  From the Greek word, krino, we are led to multiple definitions as well which range from decision, discernment, to approve, to call into question, to rule or govern, to be of opinion and to separate as in judgment.  We are often times quick to jump to the final 3 definitions when we feel others are condemning our actions.  Yet there are several instances in the scriptures where it actually calls Christians to judge one another with grace and love to help each other on the path of righteousness.

In this way we are not judging for salvation’s sake, or in an attempt to replace God’s judgment on mankind.  The Bible is clear that God the Father, and His Son, are the only rightful judge of man’s eternal destination.  We are not to apply judgment on one another’s eternity, for we have not authority in doing so.  This does not mean though that we are not to apply discernment in others actions, and form opinions on the righteousness of others actions according to His Word.  It is not within our place to chastise, correct or condemn another’s actions, but I believe it is certainly appropriate to confront someone when necessary.

In this manner the Bible is also clear.  In Matthew 7:3-5, we find Jesus explaining to us that we are not in a position to confront another in any specific area of unrighteousness if we likewise are guilty in this same area.  We must look within ourselves, and be under self-control before we can effectively help a brother or sister through their struggles.  The Holy Spirit will act, within each of us, as judge on the righteousness of our own behavior.  As a part of God the Father, He has the full authority to do this.  You know right from wrong inherently, not just because the law tells you so.  This self awareness of your righteous behavior is your own methodology of judging yourself.  You need to be aware of your unrighteous behavior and deal with that in resolving it between you and God.  Then, and only then do you have the right to bring forth an opinion on other’s in this area. 

Tolerance in today’s world has become the norm, but it is not Biblical.  We are called to abide in Him and help one another.  Providing guidance and advice to another must be done cautiously with the love and grace of the Father, not with condemnation.  The intent should be to help them become stronger followers of Jesus Christ and in doing so strengthen the overall Kingdom.  There is a delicate line between providing loving support and advice and chastising condemnation.  I strongly suggest that you are fully within God’s direction and leadership when you choose to confront another individual on a situation.  The Word of the Lord is your strength and must be used as the checks and balance during these encounters.

Walk with the Lord and learn to apply loving advice to His children, as you would to your own.

Prayer:
Father Almighty,
Thank You for Your Word.  Thank You that it might live within our hearts and minds, and that it may become alive through us.  Help us to be discerning in this world of ours and to stand up for the truth we find in Your Word.  Strengthen us, oh Lord, to overcome our unrighteousness that we might in turn be used by You for helping others.  Give us Your peace and understanding to deal with the backlash from society when we have offended.  We seek Your glory and give all honor to You.  In Your name we pray – Amen


© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
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Are You Capable to Judge?

Who is strong enough to actually be a judge in today’s world?  We all judge every single day, whether we intentionally do it or not.  Let’s look at this from a pragmatic point of view.

Is there such a thing as good and evil?  If one were to say yes, of course.  Then we must follow up with the question – What constitutes goodness and what constitutes evil?  An individual will give a subjective response to this question, but then again who’s to say that a person standing next to them or a person down the street would have a very different response to this same question.  Then we must ask, in the circumstance that their responses are different, who is correct when they both face the same moral situation.

Example: if a person hits another person across the face, is it right or wrong?  Frank might say that it is right based on the words that the person had said prior to being slapped.  Jack might say it is never right to hit another person and therefore the person doing the hitting should receive a just consequence.  Two opinions on the same situation, both somewhat justified in their perspective.  Who’s the better judge?  In answering this question, you are also putting forth your opinion in one direction over the other, so what makes you correct over others reading this that would put forth the opposing opinion?

Judging is not simple by any means, and to be honest we are not equipped mentally or spiritually to take on that role in even the most basic situations.  In life there are extremely difficult situations that we are facing daily that require us to make a judgement on right/wrong or good/evil.  Abortion, rape, gun control, drugs, pornography, racism, parenting, work, school, church, discipline, finances, and so on and so on. 

We make decisions based on an evaluation of the outcome and how it impacts us and those around us at any given moment.  Once the decision has been made, we move on and take on the next decision.  We use our views on good/evil, right and wrong to make these decisions; but who established within our own moral compass the definitions of these perspectives.  What is the moral foundation for our determinism, and does it ever change?

Have you ever made a determination if something is good or evil only to come back at a later time with a change of heart or a different opinion on the matter?  Have you ever been wrong in determining that something is evil when in reality it may have been circumstantial and actually had a longer good or positive result?  We are all quick to judge others based on our moral compass without fully understanding the details of a situation or action.  Yet, we are so unbelievably limited in our ability to fully perceive the completeness of any situation from a macro point of view.  We use the knowledge and experiences of our own life to judge others against those experiences and knowledge basis.  Do we truly have such a high opinion of ourselves and our wisdom to think that we have the right to actually judge another for any of their actions?

Come on seriously.  You believe you can judge others, and that you have that right to do so?  Fine, judge me in the comments section below.

Based on your knowledge, wisdom and experiences with me in this life answer the following:

1.      Am I ever wrong about my views on society?

2.      Do I work hard for the money I make?

3.      If I told you I have a gun, am I right in that decision?

4.      If I discipline my children, am I a child abuser?

5.      If I lose my temper, is that verbal abuse?

6.      If I stole something as a young man, am I a criminal, and should I be sentenced?

7.      Am I wrong to drink a beer when I watch football on Saturdays?

8.      Should I be punished for not spending more time with my family and working long hours?

9.      If I lie about a specific action or topic, and mislead you, am I still a friend?

10.   I love helping out at church, but it means I’m not with my wife in the pews, is this wrong?

How did I do in your eyes?  This is a very simple, non-offensive list to most, but represents the fact that we all would look at this list of 10 things, and I assure you, none of us would have the exact same response to the entire list.  Each of us are unique in our thought process and determination on what constitutes right and wrong. Therefore, I posit that you and I are not qualified to judge others in anything, if we cannot agree on the simple things. 

We were not designed to judge each other.  In our humanity, we cannot see the exponential scale of every decision made by others, and therefore we are incapable of determining right from wrong.  We have a single point of reference though, and that is Jesus Christ.  For He alone, according to the scriptures, lived a perfect, sin-free life and now sits at the right hand of the Father.  He alone has given all that our iniquities can be erased and forgiven.  It is this grace, this love from Him that we hold as truth and authentic righteousness, and any judgement or opinion outside of this is flawed from it’s base.  Because we are not perfect and sinless, we have not ability to judge others for their imperfectness and sins.  So let God be God, and learn to love others simply because they are imperfect just like you.

No Excuses

You are His Ambassador

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” – Romans 15:7

The driver never saw him.  Every day he drove the same path home at night and every day the man was sitting along the side of the road.  His jeans torn, hole in his left shoe, a beard that I’m sure hadn’t been shaved, cleaned or combed in 5 years or more.  His eyes were sunken in his aged leather face, overshadowing the bluest eyes ever seen and his baldness was covered by an old John Deere hat that was tattered around the edges.  The driver passed right by him again on this cold winter day to pull into the drive thru at Starbucks and get his grande-extra hot-double Expresso Latte with light foam. 

As he pulled to the window, the girl slid the glass open and looked down into his Mercedes Benz.  Her dark black eye makeup, pierced lip, pierced eyebrow and nose drew his attention once again, but today the red and blue streaks in her hair caught him by surprise as she reached her fully tattooed arm towards him for his American Express, in exchange for his cup of coffee.  Shaking his head he drove away from the Starbucks and merged back into the traffic which separated him from his 6,000 square foot home in the ‘burbs and his martini by the fire.

Periodically, he would weave out into the oncoming traffic as he tried to pass that large Suburban in front of him; but to no avail.  He could see the dual DVD players in the car playing different cartoons for the children in the back seats.  Every now and then he would see one of them hit the other and he would see the Mom turn around from her driver’s position and try to calm the problem, as she cradled her cell-phone near her ear.  Finally, the opportunity cleared and he whipped his car out into the left lane as he attempted to pass.  Looking into her drivers window, he saw her face.  The tears had caused her mascara to leave streaks down her cheeks, as she tried to adjust her disheveled hair to save complete embarrassment to his gaze.

He exited into his subdivision, and pulled up to the security gate.  The afternoon guard gave him a nod from behind his small glass cube, and the gate slowly opened.  Looking at the guard, he realized that something was definitely wrong as he saw a second guard behind the window with his fingers pointing at the man’s chest.  At that moment the first guard slowly removed his badge and handed it over to the more aggressive man.  Not to be bothered by it, our driver proceeded through the gate and up the long driveway to his home.  Parking the Mercedes in garage number 2 (of 7) he closed the door behind him and walked into the large empty home for the night.

In every city, in every state, in every country around the globe similar things happen every single day.  We live, but we don’t see.  We see, but we don’t care.  We care, but we don’t act.  We act when it benefits us.  These are God’s children we see all around us.  We claim to be His child, yet offer no love or compassion to our brother or sister.  We are comfortable with Jesus as our Savior, but are we comfortable giving Him our life and making Him our Lord?  The blood that was shed, was not uniquely for you or for me, but for all of mankind.  Is it our right to refuse to offer the same love and compassion, that He poured out for us, to a stranger?  We are His feet, we are His hands, we are His eyes, we are His church.  We (you and me) have a responsibility to share His gospel, His truth, His love with everyone we meet.

Have you seen others in need?  What stops you from being Jesus to them? .  Jesus didn’t come to help the Pharisees, but the prostitutes, leapers, sick and poor.  Stop with the excuses and start with the action.  Let them see Christ, for it may be the first time, and it may be just in time.  For if tomorrow, the man is not on the corner, and the girl is not at the window, and the mother gives up on her family and the guard is not behind the glass; will you get another shot?  You are an ambassador for the living God and you need to take part in this experience of life.  Quit judging them and start loving them.  Start with your own home and work out from there, but start today.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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You be the Judge

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.”   - Psalm 65:3

He walked through the door, his mind was elsewhere.  The day had been a long one and the night did not look any different.  He had several projects due at work in the next two weeks and he was missing his family time.   He walked past the beer aisle and grabbed an ice tea from the cooler in the small gas station.  He walked down the aisle when he heard the bell, hanging on the door open.  Voices were raised, speaking a different language, one he wasn’t familiar with, but escalating to a yell quickly.  He walked toward the front of the store, still hidden from the cash register where the yelling was taking place.  He saw a reflection in the window of a man, wearing a mask, holding a gun at the forehead of the young man behind the counter. 

He bumped the shelving unit, startling the man with the gun and the man turned.  As he did the one behind the counter dropped down and hid to the side.  The man with the gun raised the gun and pointed it in the direction of our victim in the chip aisle.  The gunman yelled for him to get up, and then stated in plain English, “Why, why did you have to come in here tonight?  This is between him {pointing to the man hiding behind the counter} and me.  He raped my daughter, and the judge set him free.  Justice must be served.  You should not have been here.”  His hand shook as he waved the gun, with a quivering voice, he told the man to “Go – get out of here.”

So the man took the opportunity to leave and ran out the front door carrying the bag of chips and ice tea.  As he looked back over his shoulder he heard the gunshot.  He stopped in his tracks and turned to see the man with the gun falling backward against the shelves holding the bread and the young man behind the counter holding a pistol, with smoke coming from the barrel.  He immediately dialed 911 and stated the emergency.  Then he ran back toward the door, and upon opening the door saw the pool of blood under the man in the mask.  The young man behind the counter held the gun firmly pointed at the man lying on the ground and did nothing to help.  Kneeling down next to the body on the floor, he removed the mask and saw the trembling lips of a dying man whisper, “Pray for me, please.”
Just then the police pulled in and burst through the door.  They told the clerk to put the gun down, and told the customer, who was praying, to stand up away from the body.  The clerk behind the counter told the police that the customer had attempted to steal an iced tea and bag of chips, while the other man, lying dead on the floor, had held him up at gun point, so he shot him in self-defense.  Outside on the ground lay the bag of chips and the bottle of iced tea, shattered on the pavement, as proof that indeed the man had left the store without paying, despite the fact that he came back in.

You are the police overseeing this situation.  Who’s right?  Who’s wrong?
You don’t know all of the details behind the intruder’s motives.  You don’t realize that the customer ran from the store to protect his own life.  You don’t realize that the man behind the counter is a serial rapist that has been caught but never indicted.  Does any of this matter based on the facts of this case?
Which of the above committed sins are unforgivable?

- man with a gun enters the store, intent on killing the clerk to avenge the rape of his daughter

- customer runs out the door without paying for the merchandise

- clerk behind the counter shoots and kills the intruder

God knows all things at all times.  The motives, the circumstance, the history and the future.  In this case would it be justice that all of these individuals be given the same eternal resting state?  If you had God’s perspective on the situation, would you forgive the customer, most likely yes?  Would you forgive the man behind the counter for shooting the intruder?  Would you forgive the intruder for his intent on killing the clerk?  The answer to all of these is unequivocally, yes, with one caveat – have they accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Grace is given, not based on fairness and equity, but based on the love of the Father for all mankind, for those who seek Him through His Son Jesus Christ.  Now we can debate all day long who in this situation had truly accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and who had not, based on the lives that they are leading. 

Only God knows the heart of each man, and only God can judge the righteousness and sanctity of mankind against their faith and trust in His Son’s sacrifice.  Each of these men have the same value in God’s eyes and were all born into this world to serve Him with the one life He gave them.  Let us leave it to God to determine who does and who does not enter into His Kingdom.  We are charged to be right with God in our life and represent His glory and grace to those around us, such that they will see the love of God through us.  God’s grace is sufficient to cover all sins and unrighteousness for those who have accepted His Son.  Who are we to say that it isn’t?


© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com