Today's topic is judgment. I thought about this blog post all day. I
didn't really want to tackle the subject of judgment because it's
huge and there are many ways of seeing it. The most common bible
verse we hear about judgment is “Judge not, lest ye be judged (Luke
6:37).”
But I know that I am to
show judgment (discernment and wisdom) in the way I conduct my own
life. As a parent, I judge situations and safety all the time. My
experience has taught me to select adult women as babysitters –
preferably a close family member. I don't leave my kids in the care
of men or teenage boys. That may seem judgmental, but to me, it is
wisdom.
It's hard not to judge
others. The temptation to pass judgment is nearly always present when
I'm around other people (whether that be family, colleagues, friends,
neighbors, students, and the friends and playmates of my own
children).
The other day I took my
kids to a McDonald's Play Land so they could play while I graded
papers. The first thing I noticed when I walked in, was the stale
body odor from a group of homeless men sitting at a table near the
door. And my immediate reaction was repugnance and fear for my
children's safety. Do I have the right to be repulsed by the presence
of these men in public? I wish I had reacted by offering to buy them
a hamburger.
For he shall have judgment
without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against
judgment.
James 2:13
Do you struggle with being
judgmental? Or do you have more experience with being on the
receiving end of judgment? And what are some of the positive ways we
judge?
