A Jot from John
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” (Matt. 7:1-2).
Put down the gavel! God did not intend for you to be a judge. We must discriminate between right and wrong . . . but it is not our business to sit in judgment or to presume to allocate to others their status before God. He alone can do that. Jesus forbids our assuming a role as a judge. There are two obvious reasons:
We do not know enough to judge. Unless a person has all the facts, and the ability to objectively analyze them, he is not in position to pass judgment. It is easier than we might think for a person to stumble into a situation so compromising that he fails to satisfactorily explain it. A man entered an office-supply store. He wanted a notebook of such size that it would fit into his inside coat pocket. In an absent-minded moment he picked up a book and slipped it into the pocket to see if it would fit. He had no sooner done so than it occurred to him that he had placed himself in a most vulnerable position. What convincing defense could he offer if someone tapped him on the shoulder and asked him what he meant by transferring the book from the counter to his pocket? Fortunately, no one saw him and he was able to replace the book as secretly as he had taken it. But supposed someone had seen!
The point is made. Unless we know every detail we are in no position to judge. Long ago, Hillel, the famous Rabbi said: “Do not judge a man until you yourself have come into his circumstances or situation.” Similar was the Indian’s prayer: “Great Spirit, help me never to judge Indian brother until I have walked two weeks in his moccasins.”
2. We are not good enough to judge. Jesus spoke of a man with a log in his own eye trying to extract a speck of dust from the eye of another. Only the faultless has a right to look for faults in others. No person has a right to criticize unless he is prepared to do the thing he criticizes better. There are many who claim the right to be extremely vocal in criticism and extremely exempt form action. “The stands are full of critics who fight no fights and play no ball.”
The person who is unfair and severe in his judgments of others establishes a testing standard for himself. By this irritating conduct he arouses animosity and causes others to look for his faults. The critical person is the last to see his own sin. There is nothing which so hinders a person from self-examination as the habit of finding fault with others. One can never justifiably complain if he is judged as he judges others. We receive back from life what we pour into it. If we pour poisonous criticism into it, be sure it will spew poison back upon us.
Onward Rejoicing,
John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
