Monday, September 15, 2014

Misguided Nitpickers


Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:1-2



Life is relationships and relationships are about people.  Much of our conversation is naturally about people in our family, church and world because we are interested and involved with them. Talking about people is not a sin but how we talk about them can hurt our relationships.  


Reasons We Observe Behavior

As humans we have natural tendencies to observe the behaviors and actions of others for many reasons:

  • Protection – We don’t want to be endangered by another.
  • Curiosity – People are just interesting and fun to watch.
  • Comparison – Although scripture is clear when it says For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. (2 Corinthians 10:12), we are still prone to see how we measure up to others and evaluate ourselves on that basis.
  • Responsibility – We feel responsible for someone and feel it necessary to watch them.
  • Love – We love someone and enjoy observing them.

Our natural tendencies to observe the behaviors and actions of others cause all of us to be drawn into the possibility of condemnation or judging.  The issue here is not that we should not talk about others since relationships demand that.  The issue is whether we harm someone by judging or condemning their actions with our attitude or criticism.


Jesus’ concern for followers

Jesus is concerned that His followers not share God’s Gospel of Grace with the same self-righteous attitude as the Pharisees who had become “Misguided Nitpickers” in proclaiming the Laws of God.  Knowledge is power and can be abused with pride and to do the right thing the wrong way is to do the wrong thing.  If we judge people before we listen and understand we will alienate them and to alienate is to lose the opportunity to influence.  Stephen Covey says "seek first to understand and then to be understood."

The truth is we are not always right about others.  The reason: we are not qualified to properly and perfectly judge.  The Lord is the only One who knows the unseen and the unknown.  A vital mission of the church is to bring light into the darkness and to open blinded eyes in order to set the captive free. However, this is not a mandate to attack those in the darkness, condemn those who are blind, or revile the captive. 


So when you think about someone, or assess them, you have to ask whether you are doing that with an attitude of wanting to understand them and who they are before God... with a desire to build up and grow the church and kingdom…or if you are doing it in any way to put someone down, or put her in her place, or condemn him, or pass on gossip.  Is our attitude one that shows concern for the other person?  Does it have a desire to restore the person if in fact they have sinned?  Jesus says if we judge with an attitude of simply putting people down that will influence how God will judge us.  But if we judge with an attitude of caring and helping and building and forgiving the measure we use will be measured to us.

Scripture to Claim:
Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:1-2

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