1 March

 

In a fit of hope, I started packing the winter clothes away. We have had such lovely springy days, that both the field flowers and I were fooled. Back to blankets and boots we are, but the hope stays.

So, over the last weekend the same topic kept coming up. So, it is kind of stuck in my mind: judgement. Within both the Christian and non-Christian circles the modern consensus seems to be that you should not judge others. Seems pretty simple, but from this statement flows two very different thoughts.

Firstly, within every single one of us is the tendency to judge others. Whenever we observe someone from a different 'grouping' we tend to judge. The further from our own, the easier it is to smile and find it peculiar, BUT the closer to our own, we tend to see them as 'worth less'. So, we either laugh at, or hate on. My observation is that in many people this is because we feel threatened. And if this becomes a mind pattern, we can even talk about having a critical spirit. I have often seen this come down a family line. So, my first action for myself, is to really pray that God will renew my mind. So that I feel so secure in who He made me that I do not need to feel threatened. I can listen, I don't have to be swayed to and fro, and I can enjoy the differences. 

Secondly, in an effort to not judge, we make judge and condemn the same thing. We need to make certain judgements daily. If our brother is involved in sin, we can turn a blind eye in an effort not to judge, but this is not a loving act. We need to be able to go in love and speak what we see, in love. And I guess this is the crux: am I judging in an effort to be proven right, better, or am I judging in an attitude of love to make sure that no harm comes on my friend? Judging is not the same as condemning, or shouldn't be. So, my second action is to pray that God will make me a good friend, make a judgment grounded solely in brotherly love and then the wisdom about when and how I speak.

Rom 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free.

Let's be free.