Do you make judgments about things? Of course.
So do I. Peter Falk was an
actor who spent his career playing a wide range of roles in comedy and
drama. Most notably, he played an
eccentric, rumpled but always triumphant detective in the hit show
"Columbo." In real life Falk had a glass eye, resulting from an
operation to remove a cancerous tumor when he was 3. In spite of his missing eye, he was a high
school athlete. He liked to tell the
story about being upset when he was called out at third base during a high
school baseball game. Peter said: “I removed my eye and handed it to the umpire
and said "Here ump, you'll do
better with this.”
Do we make judgments?
Sure. “I don't think he is a very good Christian.” “I think she is
smarter than he is.” “I like him, but not her.” “I like this restaurant, but
not that one.” “I think the Padres are a better team than the Dodgers.” “I
think SDSU is a better school than
UCSD.” “I think she is a good person, I think he is a bad person.”
And then we encounter a teaching of Jesus: “Do not judge, so that you may not be
judged. For with the judgment you make
you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” A simple teaching right? Well?
What do you think Jesus means? How are we to interpret Jesus words? I don’t know about you, but I find this
teaching challenging. And so do many
people. This teaching has been interpreted
in different ways.
Some people see it as an absolute and all-encompassing
principle, which applies to any and all circumstances about people. They assert: “Don’t judge people's behavior,
adults or children, don’t judge their ideas, don’t judge their character, don’t
judge attitudes, don’t judge values, don’t judge anything.” Don’t say someone is wrong or right or that
someone is good or evil. Why, because
you are judging.
Other people apply Jesus’ teaching selectively depending
upon their personal bias. Some say Jesus
meant - let judging be in the hands of the legal system, the court system and
not the individual. And still others
ignore it altogether because that they are stumped about what Jesus means.
The truth of course is that despite Jesus' teaching, we make
judgments about people everyday. We make
judgments about people's guilt or innocence.
Perhaps you have had jury duty. I
just received another summons for jury duty.
I have been calling each night after 5:00 pm to see if I have to report
the next morning. I have been through
this many times before. I have been
called many times but have never served on a jury. As soon as they learn I am a minister, they
excuse me. The judge asks: “Well
pastor, do you think you can serve on a jury when the Bible says do not
judge. I say yes I do, I will weigh the evidence like everyone else.” Then the judge confers with the two
attorneys, and I hear the familiar words, “Thank
you pastor, but your services will not be needed. You are excused.”
What does Jesus mean?
Based upon my study and reflection I offer an interpretation, which is
shared by some others, which I also happen to believe is correct. First, Jesus didn’t mean that we should
never make moral judgments, that is, judgments about people's behavior. I believe this is a gross misinterpretation
of Jesus words. Moral judgments are
necessary. Jesus isn't saying here that
we should suspend moral discernment or not be morally discriminating. Jesus did not promote moral indifference or
moral neutrality or moral equivalency, where everything is permitted,
everything is tolerated, everything is equal, everything goes, its all
good. Jesus clearly taught that there
is righteous and good and moral and kind and virtuous behavior. There is also destructive and unrighteous and
immoral and evil behavior.
Did Jesus make judgments about people? Jesus quoted the 10 commandments which deals
with true worship and ethical behavior in regard to stealing, murder, coveting
and adultery. Jesus said: “Whenever you pray do not be like the
hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogue so others may see
them.” Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but
inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Jesus
said: “A good tree bears good fruit and a
bad tree bears bad fruit in speaking about those who claimed to follow him.” Jesus
called some of the religious leaders of his day, white washed tombs, because
they strutted about seeking positions of privilege, but did not practice
compassion and generosity toward the poor.
Following Jesus teaching in Matthew about not judging others, he
said: “Don’t give what is holy, meaning his teachings, to dogs and do not
throw your pearls before swine; or they will trample them underfoot and turn
and maul you.” He was speaking here
about being discerning in regard to whom you teach and share your faith with. He also taught his disciples - “Go proclaim the good news. Whatever town or village you enter find out
who in it is worthy and stay there until you leave. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to
your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.” Jesus told the men who brought the woman
caught in adultery before him: “Let him
who is without sin, cast the first stone,” and he said to the adulterous
woman, “Do they condemn you, neither do
I. Go and sin no more.” Clearly, Jesus teaches that making moral judgments
about people is right and necessary.
Second, Jesus did not mean that we shouldn't evaluate or
appraise each other’s character or talents or gifts or abilities or
qualifications. Jesus chose certain
people as his disciples, but not others.
The early church discerned who should be deacons and elders based upon their
spiritual gifts, wisdom and the call of God.
We rightfully make judgments about business partners or marriage
partners or doctors or lawyers or teachers or ministers or baby sitters.
We should judge people about whether they can keep things
confidential which we share with them. You learn that there are some people you
can trust and others you can’t trust.
Jesus is not saying - refrain from making judgments about people’s
character or gifts or abilities or qualifications.
Third, Jesus is not speaking out against constructive
criticism, legitimate criticism, appropriate criticism, done in the spirit of
humility and love with the aim of restoring and correcting and helping and
guiding someone.
So then what does Jesus mean? We get a clue from his words
about the speck in our neighbor's eye in contrast to the log in our own
eyes. You hypocrites Jesus says. Jesus is condemning harsh, mean-spirited,
biting, sharp-tongued criticism which continually finds fault. He is condemning a censorious spirit that
tears someone down. Jesus is condemning
the attitude of self-righteousness, arrogance and judgmentalism. He is criticizing being hypercritical toward
others where one is always faultfinding and nitpicking. He is talking about misjudging and prejudging
other people, based upon first impressions or appearance or some other
criteria. He is condemning making hasty judgments
about another’s motives without any knowledge to base them on. Jesus is
condemning self-righteous judging, arrogance, being condescending, putting
others down in order to feel superior.
Jesus is speaking about hypocrisy, accusing others of saying or doing
things that you and I do and say. Jesus
is condemning gossip which hurts and runs down other people, of speaking critically
of others to bolster one's ego. We get a
further clue from the letter of James.
The letter of James says: “Do not speak evil against one another,”
that is to utter slander, to defame, to malign. This is what Jesus condemns and says that we
shall be judged by God for when we judge others in this way.
I don't know about you but Jesus' words get my
attention. It is so difficult to be
impartial and not be judgmental toward others.
It's our nature. What are
prejudices after all? It is prejudging and
stereotyping others based upon: appearance, speech, race, gender, religion,
nationality, education, occupation, income, or social status.
Jesus is our model as we interact with others. He was comfortable in the presence of rugged
fishermen and wealthy tax collectors, with both rich young rulers and poor
lepers, with Jews and Gentiles, learned rabbis and despised Samaritans,
business-women and women of questionable character. I believe we need to recognize this flaw in
our character, confess our sin, ask God to change our hearts, and to forgive
us. And the good news is that God will
answer our prayer.
A recall a friend from Santa
Monica who owned a clothing store and told me: “I have ladies come to my store who look like
they did not have two nickels to rub together, yet they purchase thousands of
dollars worth of clothing, get into their chauffeured limousine and drive
off. You would never have guessed that
they were wealthy.”
Jesus paints a picture in this teaching. About a person with excellent vision, 20/20
vision, who clearly sees the splinters or specks in other people's eyes, but is
totally blind, completely oblivious to the log in his own eye. Dr. Peter Marshall was fond of saying, “Any time you point a finger at someone,
there are three pointing back at you.”
Our guide as followers of Jesus comes from Matthew 7:12 where Jesus
provides a basic moral principle: The Golden Rule, “In everything, do to others as you would have them to you.”
Jesus in these words espouses three basic biblical truths:
First, every person is a unique child of God and is loved by God and has
potential. Second, God is the ultimate
judge. We must leave final judgment to
God. And third, there is a huge
difference between using our God given minds and hearts and exercising moral judgment
toward a positive end and the negative attitude of being self-righteous and
hyper-judgmental toward others.
Let us turn to God's grace as we seek to follow Christ's way
- “Do not judge, so that you may not be
judged.” Amen!
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